Penance
by Smileeface
Summary: Chloe comes back after the whole running away with Davis. This is slightly AU. I am really not like Chloe’s story arc so I’ve decided to change it a little to suit my own needs and wants. That’s what fan fiction is right? LOL
1. Chapter 1

Title: Penance (or Injustice: Redo!) 1/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU  
Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,  
Rating: PG(for now)  
Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.  
Summary: **Penance**: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N:

Chloe comes back after the whole running away with Davis. There is only one person who refuses to forgive her for her decision to leave with Davis. This is slightly AU. I know in the episode Injustice it was actually Tess's assistant who morphed into Chloe, but for this story we are going to pretend that it was the real Chloe. Also, Tess never gets her grubby hands on Clark's Phantom Crystal!(Grrr...to the writers for writing that in) So with the Black Kryptonite that Oliver steals from Tess, Clark managed to separate Davis from Doomsday and sends Doomsday into the Phantom Zone. This fic is Chloe's consequence for choosing to hide Davis and then runaway with him instead of going to Clark or Oliver and the team for help.

**The dialog of the opening scene of this fic is a translation of the beginning of the Injustice episode. The story itself will begin to go AU once Chloe is rescued but you will see pieces of the episode weaved within the story…hopefully weaved well within the fic. :) **

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Clark was waiting for Tess in her office at the Daily Planet to confront her about putting Davis's picture on the front page of the Daily Planet. He wanted to know how she could possibly live with herself when she was knowingly endangering innocent people all to sell newspapers. He just couldn't believe how irresponsible she was being. When Tess arrived back to her office she was on her cell phone, and from what Clark observed she was getting a bit angry with whoever it was on the phone. He chose to wait until the phone conversation was concluded before making his presence known.

Unbeknownst to Clark because he chose not to eavesdrop on her conversation, Tess was on the phone with a member of the meteor infected team that she had assembled. The team had found Chloe and Davis hiding out in a hole in the wall motel just on the outskirts of the Kansas state line. The young inexperienced team thinking that they were invincible wanted to charge like the Calvary into the motel and capture Chloe and Davis. They just didn't understand what Davis was capable of and most of all she wanted him alive. He would make an amazing asset to the team providing that he could gain control over the beast, however if she couldn't convince him to join her little band of mutants then she would have him destroyed. But these children just wouldn't take orders. She told them to find Davis and Chloe, report back on their whereabouts and then wait for orders. They were never to take their eyes off of the pair.

Now, she gets a phone call and Live Wire has the nerve to start arguing with her about her orders. Will they never learn? "I said NO. We can't risk the casualties. You need to wait for the rest of the team before you move in." She said sternly as she slammed her cell onto her desk she heard movement from the other side of the room. Realizing that she was not alone she turned quickly to see Clark standing behind her.

"Well, you seem to be taking my open door policy a bit liberally these days, don't you?" She quipped at Clark.

Clark smirked. "I guess when you ambushed me in my barn the other day and accused me of being an alien Jesus we had dropped any formalities." He volleyed sarcasm back at her.

Tess smiled and chuckled to herself. She hadn't expected the quick wit that Clark had possessed and though he knew that she knew his secret he stood before trying to convince her that she was letting her imagination run wild. He stood before her trying to convince her that he was just an ordinary man. "I can't say that the sarcasm adds to your coy charm, but please come in." She said as she turned around to look at something on her desk. Clark walked cautiously into the lion's den, warily eying the lioness before him.

"Chinese Kung pow for one?" She asked waving her hand at what appeared to be her dinner in a brown paper bag on her desk as she watched Clark stride across the floor with purpose.

"Thanks but no thanks; I don't have much of an appetite."

"Ok then, tell me, what's on your mind then, Clark?"

Handing her a copy of the Daily Planet Clark asks Tess, "Do you really thing that spreading panic is responsible journalism? Making Davis Bloom front page news every day is reckless."

"Reckless? Hmm, I think reckless is not doing everything in 'your' power to stop him." She looked him straight in the eyes. If he were going to lie to her again about his origins then he was going to have to look her in the eyes and do it.

Clark avoided the subject of his origins by bringing the conversation back to Davis. "Starting a massive man hunt isn't helping anyone." He stated defiantly.

"Clark," Tess began as she moved closer into his personal space, "If you don't want to admit your true identity, that's fine. But we both know that Davis Bloome isn't a man; he's a beast."

Clark took a deep breath as he realized that Tess knew a lot more than he thought she did in regards to Davis. He had to figure out exactly what she did know.

"If Davis is this beast, then encouraging the police to go after him is dangerous. People will die!"

"And when that happens, you'll know where to find him." She said it so simply as she walked closer to him, "so that you can slay the proverbial dragon." Like silk moving over skin she walked gracefully over to the window, purposely keeping her back to him so that he couldn't see the sadistic smile that crept onto her face. Clark was stunned. He couldn't believe that she was willing to use innocent people as bait for this beast just so that Clark could find him and destroy him. Clark turned abruptly and followed her over to the window.

"This is not some fairy tale. Obviously there is some dark part of you that needs to be saved but I am NOT your white knight. You're risking innocent lives including Chloe's."

She turned from the window, throwing the paper that she held in her hand onto the desk, "Ahhh…right, the accomplice of the serial killer." She accused.

"She's his hostage and she's in the most danger." Clark defended Chloe.

"If you're so worried about her getting hurt why are you fighting my help?" Tess countered. She smiled knowingly, "Maybe it's because you are afraid to fight him. Because the pure and virtuous Clark Kent can't face what he'll have to do. What you are destined to do when that moment comes." She stared at him intently trying to gage his reaction to her statement before turning once again to the window that looked out over the city. Metropolis at night from the ground was a scary place to be, but from above it was actually beautiful. "Clark," she said without turning to look at him knowing that he still stood rooted to the spot he was just standing in, "I'm just making sure that you embrace the inevitable."

At that exact moment his super hearing kicked in. He could hear Chloe. She was screaming for him.

"CLARK! PLEASE! HELP ME!!! CLARK!!! PLEASE GOD!!! CLLLAAARRRKKKK!!!" Her voice raised an octave with each time she screamed his name…panic seized his chest.

"Chloe." He whispered and then super speeded out of Tess's office to find Chloe. Tess caught his departure in the reflection of the window. One second he was there, the next he was gone. Her evil manipulative smile reemerged; she wasn't Lex's protégée for nothing. She knew how to manipulate people. Especially the self righteous ones.

TBC...

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Fic: Chloe/Oliver – Penance (or Injustice: Redo!) 2/?

Title: Penance (or Injustice: Redo!) 2/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

Chloe ran as fast as she could, her life depended on the speed in which she could get away from the monster that followed her. Davis could no longer control the beast within him and before he changed he sent her running out of the motel room for her life. She prayed that Clark could hear her because she didn't know if she could out run the beast for much longer. He would surely be hunting for her by now.

Chloe was frayed. She didn't know which end was up. She wasn't even sure she was running in the right direction. Branches snapped and bent as she pushed her way through unknowingly creating a path in which the beast could follow her. As she ran through the dark wooded area she screamed for Clark. 'God please let him find me,' was all she was thinking as she screamed her best friend's name. With each step, with each slap to her face that she received from the branches, with each labored breath she wondered if this was her penance for lying to all of the people that she loved. Was this her punishment for trying to give Clark enough time to come to terms with what he must do to Davis? Was she going to die here, in these woods, this night? If so, would her death be what Clark would need to finally step up and become the hero that he was sent here to be? Or will she once again escape death's grasp so that she can live to fight another day?

She stumbled and fell hard to the ground knocking what little wind in her lungs that she managed to hold onto out of her. As she stayed there on the ground for a moment to catch her breath, she wondered if she had gotten far enough away from the beast. Then she heard him plowing through the wooded area after her. She quickly jumped to her feet and started once again running through the woods on her tired legs. She ran full speed out of the woods onto what seemed to be a highway. Before she could get her bearings she heard a horribly loud noise which sounded remarkably like a horn. When she turned her head towards the horn sound; she was blinded by a set of truck headlights. "CLLLAAARRRKKKK!!!" she screamed one last time before the truck ran her down. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. But instead of being crushed by the wheels of an 18 wheeler, she felt someone's arm encircle her and hurl them out of the path of the barreling truck. But not knowing whether it was Clark or not because she refused to open her eyes, fear actually glued her eyelids close. She blindly began to struggle against her savior, fearing that the beast had actually caught her. Her fight or flight instinct on full throttle.

"Chloe! Chloe! It's me. It's Clark. Chloe it's ok. It's me." He held onto her as she struggled against him kicking…screaming…thrashing around like a wild animal.

"Clark!" She opened her eyes and saw her best friend before her. "Oh my God, Clark!!" She cried, nearly hyperventilating as she threw herself into his strong arms.

"It's ok. It's ok. I've got you, Chloe. It's ok now." He held her tightly and kept reassuring her as she sobbed into his chest. Little did he know that their reunion was being watched not only by Tess's team of misguided misfits but by Davis who was now back in human form again. Davis watched hiding in the shadows from behind a tree. He had followed Chloe's scent. Her intoxicating scent mingled with the scent of her fear wet the beast's appetite turning Davis's dark almost black eyes back to the beast's red. He needed to get away from her arousing scent. He turned around and ran back to the motel, knowing that soon he was going to loose control over the beast and never get it back. Chloe was his life line to keeping the beast under control. Without her, he knew the beast would emerge and innocent people would be hurt or worse-- be killed.

Davis battled internally for control over the beast but he soon found out that it was a loosing battle…especially when the door to his room was blown away to reveal four teenagers dressed in leather costumes. Davis was already too far gone when Tess's team entered his room. When the first boy walked in the beast in all his horny glory erupted out of Davis and attacked him, killing the boy instantly with one slash of his mighty fist. The other teens, all super powered he soon to found out, attacked him. But they were no match for the beast…for Doomsday! With a mighty roar he disposed of his would-be assailants easily; their puny powers no match for him.

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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	3. Chapter 3

Title: Penance (or Injustice: Redo!) 3/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver (eventually), Chloe/Clark (Friendship)

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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At the Kent farm, Chloe sat wrapped in Mr. Kent's favorite blanket on the couch; the room dark but for the light of the fire in the fire place. Her eyes were distant as she watched the fire in the fire place crackle and dance. Clark was in the kitchen but stealthily kept a close eye on her, afraid that she would bolt again. He quietly walked into the living room and placed a cup of tea on the end table besides her. The noise from him setting the cup down on the table caused her to nearly jump off the couch. She was so skittish. He had never seen Chloe this way before.

"I know it's not coffee," he tried to smile encouragingly at her but it came out as more of a grimace, "but I figured that you needed something to sooth your nerves instead of revving them up even more than they are already. Mom kept chamomile tea in the cupboard to soothe her nerves on a particularly tough day. "

"Thanks Clark," she muttered, but she made no move to pick the cup of tea up from the table, she just tucked her hands deeper under the blanket and pulled it up farther towards her chin.

"You know, Chlo, I understand if you don't want to talk about it but if you do want to talk about it; I'm here. I'll listen without judgment, I promise." Mortified because he thought that he had said something to upset her even more; he watched as a tear slipped from her eye followed closely by another and another until the flood gates opened and she was out and out sobbing. Clark moved swiftly, seating himself next to her on the couch. He wrapped his strong arms around her as he listened to her sob her apology.

"I'm sorry. I am soo sorry, Clark." She sobbed brokenly her breathing coming in large gasps as she tried to stem the flow of her tears so that she could get out what she wanted to say to him. It wasn't working though and her breath became more and more labored as she tried to hold back her sobs. "I thought that I was doing the right thing. I thought that this was what I was meant to do, ya'know?" She looked at him as she tried to inhale the much needed oxygen into her lungs. She could only hope that he understood, that they all understood; she didn't do this to hurt anyone…on the contrary, she left with Davis to prevent others from being hurt. "I finally understood in that one moment when Jimmy and Oliver's lives were in danger because of Davis…because I kept him hidden. I understood what I had to do. That this was the reason I was put on Earth; the reason I was saved when Brainiac possessed me…to sacrifice myself for the greater good. It was my job to buy you time so that you could figure out a solution to this 'Doomsday' problem. But I couldn't hack it, Clark. When it came right down to it, I just couldn't do it. I'm sooo sorry." She sobbed so hard that her whole body shook with her repentance.

"Chloe, shhhh, don't cry." He pulled her onto his lap and began rocking her as though she were a small child. Her head rested comfortably on his shoulder as she buried her face into his chest. Her tears left wet marks on his shirt but he didn't care. He was too focused on comforting his friend.

"I lied Clark, to everyone. I hid Davis and protected him because I KNEW that you would figure out a way that you could defeat the monster but save the man. But I also knew that you needed the time to figure out how." Chloe started to regain control over her emotions. This was something she could do for Clark. She could tell him all that she learned about the beast…the monster that controlled the man. "Clark, Doomsday's only mission in life is to destroy you. It was programmed into him before he even arrived here on Earth." She took a breath and pulled away from Clark a little so that she could look him in the face as she shared her feelings with him. It was important that he understood how she felt about him should something happen to her. She wanted him to know how much he meant to her. Her tear streaked face turned slightly up to look at him as he gazed down at her. To Clark she looked small, childlike, held safely in his arms and wrapped in a blanket as the firelight reflected off her hair. "Clark, I need you to know that my faith in you has never wavered. Even though you and I disagree from time to time, I have never once stopped believing in you and supporting you. All that I have done; be it right or wrong, has always been for you. You are my hero, Clark. You always were…before I even knew about your secret and especially after, and you always will be. You need to know though, above being my hero; you are my best friend, part of my family. And I love you. If Doomsday comes for me here or if I have to leave again to protect you, I need you to know that I love you…not in an 'I want to marry you and have your alien babies' way, but as in you are my family, my best friend. This could be the end for me. The end of my story and I need you to know that you are important to me."

"Chloe…" Clark had gotten choked up listening to her. He loved her too, and there was no way that he was going to ever let anything happen to her. He rubbed gentle circles on her back, still comforting her. His anger over her leaving him evaporated the moment she called for help. She was 'his' Chloe. He couldn't explain what he felt about her. He was sure that he loved her with every fiber of his being, but he knew that he wasn't 'in' love with her. He was 'in' love with Lois, with all her quirks he knew out and out that he loved her. But Chloe was something in her own right; Chloe was one of the people responsible for helping him become the man that he is destined to be. He knew without a doubt if Chloe had never entered his life he would have become a completely different man than he is today. "I promise," his voice gravely and thick as he fought his emotions, "on all that I am and all that I am destined to become, Chloe…that NOTHING is EVER going to take you away from me. You are my family too, my one and only best friend…you are the only other person beside my mom and dad, who would ever sacrifice as much as you have for me." He punctuated each syllable with a squeeze. He vowed that Davis or Doomsday or whomever next that fate has decided to throw at him would ever hurt Chloe. Chloe Sullivan does not die…not while Clark Kent is around.

They sat together in the dark room cuddled in their safe world for the moment. They both were lost in their own thoughts, contemplating the future…neither speaking. Finally after what had seemed like hours, Chloe spoke. She decided to tell Clark about her experience with Davis. She figured the more he understood the better off he would be. After all, 'knowledge is power.'

"He wouldn't leave me alone for even one second." She said softly. "Everywhere I turned there he was hovering, watching me. I couldn't find a moment's piece. I was a prisoner again and this time the only one I had to blame for my situation was myself. I NEVER wanted to leave, to leave you…the team…Oliver." She closed her eyes and her tone changed when she spoke Oliver's name. It was a slight tonal difference but a difference nonetheless. Clark wondered if there was something going on between the two of them, not for the first time. Her voice continued and drew his attention back to what she was saying to him. "I wanted to stay here and let you all battle this monster for me, but I couldn't let that happen. Someone would have gotten hurt. I had to leave. I had to buy you time to figure this out. I am sorry that I couldn't stay with him longer. I am sorry that I couldn't willingly give up my life, Clark. Running away from Davis is something I am always going to regret, especially when I hear about the innocent people that could have been saved had I just stayed with him. Oh God Clark, what have I done? I've unleashed the world's destroyer…I've released Doomsday." She buried her face in her blanket covered hands.

"We'll figure this out, Chlo. You, Oliver, the team, and I will figure this out. We will stop Doomsday. I won't pretend that everything will be alright and that no one will get hurt, but I will promise you that I will do my best to make sure everyone survives. Chloe, you did the right thing leaving him tonight. Your life is just as valuable as mine, don't forget that! You are important to a lot of people and the fact that you had sacrificed all that time with him for me is just beyond anything that I could or would have asked of you. You should have come to one of us, Chloe, Oliver or I would have helped you with this. You didn't have to do this alone. You aren't alone. You have us. We care about what happens to you. Oliver was practically a mess when he found out that you left with that monster. He and the team scoured the city looking for you…while I traveled a little farther away to search for you. I'll call Oliver in a couple of hours when the sun comes up and let him know that I've found you. For right now, for the next few hours I just want to sit here with you and know that you are safe. The sun will be up in a couple of hours, so for now, let just sit here, you and me, and rest. Close your eyes, Chlo, get some sleep. I'll be here watching over you." She laid her head back on his chest. She felt safe in the arms of her best friend. Her eyes immediately closed and sleep swiftly over took her, blissfully devoid of nightmares. Dreams of a blond haired man replaced the nightmares of the dark haired man that haunted her. She was safe once again.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

Fic: Chloe/Oliver – Penance 4/?

Title: Penance (or Injustice: Redo!) 4/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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It was late, well after midnight as Oliver paced back and forth across his apartment as the other men on his team watched anxiously. He paced like an animal that's been caged. Back and forth with determined angry strides, his feet carried him across the floor. His mind was racing. His heart was hurt. He couldn't believe that she willingly left with a murderer. He couldn't believe that she willingly loved a man, regardless of what he was told, who was capable of such dastardly deeds that Davis Bloome was capable of. 'No,' he thought, 'not Chloe…but if being in love with Davis wasn't the reason for her leaving then what was?' His mind argued against itself.

His heart ached with missing her, as his brain continued to wage war with his heart. 'How could she run off with that mad man after all that they had shared a couple of weeks ago?' He thought that they were finally starting something the night that she had agreed to become his Watchtower full time. The night that they shared together had meant something to him, but obviously he was a fool for believing that something had begun between them. He had to leave on business the day after she became his Watchtower, but she knew that he was going to return. After the night that they spent together she knew that he was going to come back to Metropolis, that she wasn't just another one night stand. He spoke to her on the phone and via the internet and not once did she mention Davis. So when he arrived at her apartment expecting to surprise her with his return, he himself had a surprise. Instead of finding her happy smile to great him upon his return, what did he find when he shows up at her place, none other than Davis Bloome. He had come to terms with the fact that in order to love and to be with Chloe, he was going to have to share her with Clark…he was however, unwilling to share her with a man who was more beast than man.

"Where the hell can they be? They've only fell off the grid five days ago." Oliver thought out loud.

"Maybe she and Beastman left Kansas all together, Boss man. Maybe we should broaden our search?" Bart said to Oliver.

"Maybe or maybe it's just time to realize that she doesn't want to be found…by us or by anyone and call this fruitless search off. Maybe she really is in love with this Davis and wants to be with him. Maybe she doesn't care that he's a murdering psychopath." Oliver didn't want to admit it out loud what he feared to be the truth. Maybe Chloe was truly in love with this other man and had willingly followed him. Maybe he missed his chance with her, yet again.

"It's hard to believe that Chloe would fall so hard over a guy like Davis, Oliver. I just can't believe that she would leave everything and everyone that she loves for one guy that she hardly knows. That's not Chloe. Chloe would never leave Clark. There has to be more that we are missing." That was not the right thing to say to Oliver at this particular moment in time. His brain, which had been dueling with his heart, latched onto Victor's one statement, "Chloe would never leave Clark." Chloe always chose Clark. She was his ever faithful shadow…his sidekick. Oliver could feel his jealousy rise slowly from the pit of his stomach. He admired Clark and all that he stood for. He considered Clark to be a close friend, but Clark was not perfect. Why did everyone have him up on such a high pedestal…Chloe in particular thought that Clark could do no wrong, and that irritated him beyond anything else.

"Yeah well, if Chloe wanted to be found she would have left us some clues. It's obvious by now that she doesn't want us to find her. You know what," Oliver's irritation over not finding Chloe, of always being second best in her eyes, bubbled to the surface. His anger and jealousy quickly took over his rational mind, "if she thinks she can handle that thing on her own well so be it then. I'm done. She should have come to me long before this situation ever got to this stage. I thought she was my friend, my partner, our watchtower. I guess the joke was on me…on us all. She sure did pull the wool over my eyes. I just never thought that she could turn out to be one of the bad guys, ya'know?"

"Oliver, man, I think you've got it all wrong. There is definitely something that we're missing here. She would never turn against us…against you. You know that." Victor said to his distraught leader. He saw the way the two of them were together. He watched quietly as their relationship had deepened when she and Jimmy had split. He saw the way the two of them watched each other slyly, when they thought that no one was watching. He saw the attraction build and felt the tension at times fill the room. He wouldn't have been surprised if they had announced that they were together sometime soon once her divorce was finalized by the courts. But this…this situation with Davis, he didn't see coming. They all had been blindsided by Chloe leaving with Davis Bloome. Oliver seemed to have been blindsided more than anyone from the way he was behaving.

"Do I?" Oliver's voice rose angrily. He felt betrayed by her leaving. Hurt by her blatant disregard of what had happened between them a few weeks ago. And finally, he felt jealous that she was with someone other than himself. "Do I really know what kind of person she is? Or have I just been duped? I'm done searching for someone who doesn't want to be found. But by all means if you want to waste your time looking for her, keep at it. I'm too busy. I've got a city to watch over because its self-appointed savior is off on a fool's errand looking for his supposed best friend. A business to take care of that is in the middle of extremely important negotiations with an over seas company that wants to establish a home base here in the states that could bring in thousands of jobs and revenue for our economy. Oh and I am trying to figure out where Lex's 33.1 labs are and shut them down there-by saving those who have been imprisoned there. I don't have the time to be looking for her, when she so obviously doesn't want to be found." Oliver said as he stormed out of the living room. The loud bang of his bedroom door reverberated through out the apartment as he slammed the door. Chloe missing was affecting Oliver a lot more than he was trying…unsuccessfully, to let on.

"Dude, I think that Ollie has some abandonment issues that he sooo needs to work on in therapy." AC said to Bart as his eyes followed Oliver's retreating form to the room. Bart watched too, his eyes narrowing in thought. Neither man really believed that Chloe left with Davis because she was in 'love' with him. There was something else behind her leaving. If there was any man that she was in 'love' with in Metropolis it was the man who just left the room. They all knew that something was brewing just beneath the surface with those two. It was just a matter of time. Even Bart had really come to terms with the fact that Chloe was never going to be his, but at least she was going to be with a good man. He couldn't find a better substitute for himself than Oliver. If she couldn't be with him at least she was going to be with Ollie.

"Seems to me that I'm not the only one with feelings for Miss Chloelicious. It looks like our fearless leader over there is harboring some pretty intense feelings for our Watchtower. Five bucks says that he doesn't even realize that he's in love with her." He grinned at the thought of Oliver suffering unrequited love like he did. It would serve him right to suffer a little before he got the girl.

"Oh you are so on!" AC shoved his open hand at Bart ready to shake on this sure-thing bet that they were making. "Boss man knows what he's feeling alright, it's just that he doesn't like feeling those feelings. Dude, double or nothing that when Chloe comes back the Boss man will finally make a move on her."

"You are on!" Bart said as he pumped AC's arm up and down excitedly. There was no way that his Chloe was going to fall so easily for Oliver. No way was that going to happen so soon. "My Chloelicious will not fall for his charm. He will have to work hard to get Chloe. She's one smart chica."

"Yeah, well she's still a woman. And you have to admit, when Ollie wants something all he has to do is pour on his charm and well, he'll get it." He pointedly looked at Bart. They both knew that Oliver could charm anything on two legs, be they old or young, man or woman. He was just a smooth talker. It was a gift that both AC and Bart admired about him.

"But Chloe is different. His charm never worked on her before, what makes you think that it will work now."

"Ha," AC laughed. There were plenty of times that he had witnessed Chloe melt at Oliver's charming smile. Oliver always blew it with Chloe though because he always went over the top with her. She was the type of girl that a little charm would go a long way with, "what makes you think it never worked? She's just as susceptible as the rest of them; she just can hide it better, is all. She wants him as much as he wants her, I will bet my hard earned cash on it."

"You've got a deal. My Chloelicious is immune to the Queen Charm."

"Yeah ok, we'll see. Ten bucks to the winner if Chloe succumbs to Oliver's charm with in the first month of her returning."

"You're on." They shook hands on the bet as Victor shook his head in disbelief. Those two were under the impression that things were going to go right back to the way they were before she left. Didn't they realize that things had changed? Didn't they witness Oliver's emotional outburst just moments ago? What those two forgot to realize is that even though Chloe and Oliver had blatant feelings for one another, this situation has spiraled it's self out of control. Love may not be enough to get them through this. He was willing to bet that it was going to take a long time for Oliver to get over this. He just hoped that Chloe was willing to work hard for Oliver's forgiveness.

Tbc….

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Penance 5/?

Author:Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Chloe/Clark(friendship)

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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About an hour after she had fallen asleep, Clark had began to lightly dose off himself. It's been a tough couple of weeks and the stress had finally begun to take its toll on him. He was however, woken up by Chloe's softly spoken voice. "Oliver," She whispered in her sleep. Clark heard the longing in her whisper. He hoped that Oliver understood what a treasure she was and he hoped that Oliver returned her feelings. Chloe was due for some happiness as was Oliver. He knew that they would bring happiness to each other so long as they allowed their feelings for each other to grow; they being the stubborn people that they are. Clark brushed the hair from her face as it fell onto her cheek and smiled when her heard her softly moan, "hmmm, Oliver." He knew where her dreams were headed and that he should take her upstairs but he still didn't want to give up this time with her just yet. It was good to have her back home. He sat with her until the light of dawn crept into the sky. Carefully as the light crept through the window, he carried her up the stairs to his old room and placed her into is childhood bed. He hoped that she would manage a few more hours of sleep before reality snuck back into to her consciousness.

After Clark brought Chloe upstairs he managed to get a couple of hour's worth of sleep himself. When he awoke, the smell of coffee filled his nostrils. His eyes slowly lifted and there Chloe stood, dressed and ready for the morning holding a cup of coffee with her "Chloe" smile upon her face. Clark couldn't help but smile back as he took the welcoming mug. "Thanks, Chlo. It looks like I was more tired than I thought I was. What time is it?" He said as he took his first sip of the bitter brew.

"It's nearly 8am. I figured you would have to be getting up soon to do the chores here. Some things never change." She said with a smile and he couldn't help but tease her a little.

"Yeah some things like my chores never change, but some things do. Um say, like the names that you whisper when you are asleep."

Chloe blushed. The pink infused her cheeks so quickly that Clark could help but chuckle at her discomfort.

"It wasn't that long ago that I was the star of your dreams, it looks like I've been replaced by a six foot something blond who lives in a clock. Oh how the times have changed…yes, the pun was intended." He chuckled as her blush deepened.

"Clark," she squeaked out. He wasn't supposed to know that she dreamt of him let alone that she dreams about Oliver. She knew she talked in her sleep, but oh what has she divulged while she was dreaming. This was so not good. How many times has she fallen asleep over at Oliver's place. What if someone besides Clark has over heard her dreaming of Oliver? This was not good…not good at all. "Clark, this is not funny." She reprimanded him as she picked up a pillow at the end of his bed. "Stop laughing, this is not funny! This is so totally embarrassing and you are enjoying every minute!" She hurled the pillow at his head; unfortunately for her, he was too quick and caught it before it hit its mark one handed; he didn't even spill a drop of the coffee that he held in his other hand.

"So, you and Oliver huh?" Clark smirked as asked while he sat up and took another sip of coffee his eyes never leaving her face.

"What exactly did I say, Clark?"

"Hmm, let me see. There was,' He hitched his voice higher in a breathy girly tone that he had intended to mimic as Chloe's voice, "Oh Oliver." He paused dramatically and smirked before he continued, "Then there was an," In a lower more drawn out erotic girly voice he mimicked Chloe, "'Oliver.' Then there was…"

"Ok, ok I get it." Her cheeks were a bright fuchsia that was traveling up to her ears as well as down her neck. He had never actually had the pleasure of teasing his friend this way…he had to admit, he liked it. He would have to catalog this away for a later time and date. Being able to illicit this kind of reaction from her was fun, he now understood why the guys teased her all the time.

"So, one of the questions that I have for you is how did that dream rate next to the dreams that I was the star in?" He beamed his Clark Kent smile at her.

"CLARK!" She said aghast that he would actually want to be compared to Oliver, but laughed because one, she realized that he was just teasing and two, whether he realized it or not, he was actually curious. Men she thought, be they human or alien always have to whip out their dicks to see whose is larger. 'Must be a primal thing,' she thought. She giggled, "Well, it's too bad that you will never know. I can't believe that I was talking in my sleep; I haven't done that in years. Oh God!" The smile left her face, "I wonder how long I've been doing that? You don't think that I've talked in my sleep while I was with Davis, do you Clark? Oh God! Oliver could be in trouble or you. I could have put Oliver or you or one of the guys in danger just by talking in my sleep. Davis or rather Doomsday is extremely territorial…if he even suspected that I was looking at someone else he would try to rip him apart. Clark, you have to call Oliver and warn him…as embarrassing as it is, you will have to tell him that he and the team may have been compromised because of my big mouth."

Clark realized, all teasing aside, Chloe was right. She could have talked in her sleep about Oliver, about the team, and about him. Davis already knew about him, but the team was a different story. He had to call Oliver right now. He moved to stand but Chloe was sitting on the edge of his bed and she had to move in order for him to get up. She was lost in thought. He could see that the thought that she had put her 'boys' in danger was weighing heavily on her. Clark could feel her dismay pulsing off of her in waves.

"Umm, Chlo…you have to move in order for me to get up." He smiled at her.

"Oh. Sorry, Clark. My mind was stuck on Doomsday." She looked at him; her green eyes radiated sorrow and regret. "I should have stayed with him, Clark. I should have stayed with him until the end of this. I just…I just couldn't. I was selfish and now all of you, all the people that I love and care about are in danger. You all are in danger because I couldn't finish out my mission."

"Chloe, how many times do I have to tell you, this wasn't your mission. Doomsday…to take care of him is going to take a team effort. Thank you for giving us time to come up with a plan, but it didn't work. We were too concerned about finding you to come up with a plan on how we were going to defeat him. Now, let's not dwell here, you've made mistakes; we've made mistakes…let's just move on from here. But from here on out we are a team. You can not go off again like you did before, it is counter productive. You have to give me your word that you won't do that again."

"Clark, I can't do that. If I have to leave with Davis again, you and I both know that I will not even hesitate if it will save you or the others. I just should have told you what I was doing before I did it. I just thought that you all would work on finding away to rid the world of Doomsday. I didn't think that you all would waste the time looking for me. I figured if I told you that I was willingly leaving with him because I was in love with him that you would not try to find me. Does that make sense, Clark?"

"No, Chloe it doesn't. You should know by now that you are one of the most important people in my life as well as the teams' lives. You are important to us, Chlo, would you please get that through your head." He said frustrated. He couldn't understand why she would constantly think of herself as unimportant. It was a flaw that she had to work out quickly. "Now, you have to at least promise me that you won't go off with him without telling someone, me preferably. But I have to call Oliver and warn him, so you have to get up." He looked at her and offered a small smile.

"Thanks, Clark." She leaned over and kissed his cheek before getting off the bed. "You are the best friend a girl could ever ask for. I promise you that I will not leave again with out telling you why. That's the best I can do." She said as she walked to the door.

"Chloe?" He called to her.

"Yeah," she turned as she opened the door.

"I really did miss you, and so did Oliver. Oh, and can you toss me my cell? It's on the dresser."

"Sure and thanks, Clark." She said to his as she tossed his phone to him and left.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Penance 6

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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A/N: Hey Guys thanks so much for following this fic. I am glad that you are enjoying this story thus far. Vodooman asked me: "just a question... did davis do something to chloe or not, or is it just really 'only' the following around that chloe couldn't take anymore?"

I felt that I should address this not just for vodooman but for everyone reading, thanks vodooman btw for asking this question. After Oliver leaves for Star City, as seen in the Prelude, we go back to the Smallville story line (minus the dream make out sequence between Davis and Chloe): Chloe finds Davis in the Talon basement…just like in the show she makes a quick decision to hide him and try to cure him. Davis takes her willing to help him as a sign that she has also developed feelings for him the way that he has for her. That is not the case in my fic, but when Oliver returns a couple of days early to surprise Chloe, he finds Davis in her apartment with an unconscious Jimmy. Then it plays through like the show, Davis holds Oliver and Jimmy hostage until Chloe arrives and Clark comes into whisk him away. Thinking that the only way to save Oliver and the others is to leave with Davis, she does so willingly only to be held as a prisoner by Davis and that is all I am going to tell you about what happens to Chloe. This is where I step in and change the Smallville story line to suit me…at Injustice. No one is going to know what "really" happened between Davis and Chloe until the end of my story…sorry. : ) As for the other questions that vodooman asked…all great questions too btw, will be answered as the story unfolds. Thanks sooooo much to all of you who are leaving me comments. All your comments are truly appreciated and extremely helpful when I am trying to write the next Chapter! You all are AWESOME! : )

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Clark easily caught his cell phone and pressed the speed dial number for Oliver.

The phone rang twice before a groggy Oliver answered.

"This better be important, Boy Scout. I've just gotten to go to sleep."

"Oliver, I found Chloe. She's here at the farm. I wanted to call you to let you know."

Oliver sat up in his bed. He wiped a hand over his face, wiping the sleep from him as he did so. Chloe was back. He was glad that she was safe once again, but the anger that he felt the night before returned ten fold. He could fell his rage boiling within him. 'Of course, Clark found her. Of course she would be with Clark.' He kept thinking. Here he was killing himself and his team and she was safe at the farm with none other than Clark himself.

"Well good, now we can concentrate more on doing something about this monster. Thanks for the update, Clark. I'll let the team know." He said just before he hung up. He needed to get off the phone with Clark before his anger at Chloe became evident in his tone.

"Oliver?" Clark said into the mouth piece of his cell, "Hello?" He looked at his cell, everything was in working order but the call had been disconnected. Well, that was strange, Clark thought to himself. It almost sounded like he didn't care about Chloe at all. What was going on? Clark got up and dressed in 5 seconds, made his way downstairs where Chloe waited for him in the kitchen.

"Chloe, there's something wrong with Oliver's phone; I'm going to take a quick run over there to talk to him. Please, just don't go anywhere…stay here and I will be back as soon as I can, ok?"

"Sure Clark. Hey, is everything ok? I mean, Oliver has state of the art equipment, there shouldn't be anything wrong with his phone."

"I'm heading over there now. I'll tell you all about it when I get back."

Clark was gone before she could blink.

He arrived at Oliver's place in minutes. As he entered the lift he buzzed Oliver's apartment. An exhausted looking Oliver met him at the door of the elevator by the kitchen.

"To what do I owe this visit, Clark? Chloe's back, why aren't you with her? Coddling her?" He sneered, not at all the Oliver that Clark had been expecting. He was expecting at least some joy over finding Chloe safe and sound. He did not expect this uncaring Oliver to be the person he met at the lift. This was not the Oliver that had gone frantically searching for Chloe when first she had disappeared. Something had happened to change Oliver.

"Oliver, what's the matter with you?" Clark asked confused. "I thought that you'd be happy that we found her."

"**WE** did not find her, Clark. **YOU** were the one to find her. **YOU** were the one who saved her. WE didn't even find a single blimp on the proverbial map. Nope, it was good ole Clark Kent who found and rescued her, as always." Oliver turned his back on Clark.

"Oliver? Are you upset that I found Chloe? Why?" Clark just couldn't understand where all this anger was coming from.

"I'm not upset, Clark. I'm just tired and I am still trying to figure out how to defeat this Doomsday. Chloe's safe, well good for her, now can we move on to saving the world, please."

"Oliver, where is this coming from? Are you angry with Chloe? She did what she thought was right. She made a mistake; we all make mistakes, Oliver."

"Clark," Oliver turned to look at the confused man, "she didn't just make a mistake with this, she put the whole world in danger because she CHOSE to leave with that monster instead of letting us take care of him. She chose to protect him when he returned rather than to try to destroy him."

"Oliver, Chloe saw the man in the beast. She saw the good in the evil; don't you think that that is worth trying to save?"

"At the risk of the world, Clark…no I don't. The needs of the many definitely out weigh the needs of the few or the one. If one man has to die in order to save the world then so be it."

"Who ARE you, Oliver? When did you become like this?" Clark looked at Oliver his confusion written clearly all over his face.

"I am doing what needs to be done to save the world, Clark. I am doing your job!" Oliver yelled at Clark, "Chloe's safe, NOW are you finally going to step up and be the hero that the world needs or will you hid out at that farm of yours and let the world be destroyed? The choice is up to you. I am not going to sit around and wait for Doomsday. I am going to find him and destroy him…or I am going to die trying. That is my priority. That is who I am. I am the Green Arrow."

"Oliver, don't you see that the needs of the one are just as important as the needs of the many? You were the one who always helped the underdog, tried to make a difference even if it were to only one person. What happened to change your mind? Chloe's back and she's promised to not leave again without letting one of us know. She knows that she was wrong to leave and not come to us for help. She wants to make amends."

"Sorry Clark, but that ship has sailed." Oliver turned to walk to the kitchen; he grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured himself some orange juice. He needed a moment to reign in his anger a bit. He felt himself loosing control over his tightly wound emotions. "She's no longer trust worthy." He said as he returned to speak with Clark after downing the orange juice. "She's fraternized with the enemy. I don't…she made her choice, Clark. She chose him over us. If you want to forgive her then that's your prerogative. I can't forgive her for her desertion. I don't have it in me, right now."

"She did what she thought was the right thing, Oliver. You're going to punish her for that? You make the wrong choices sometimes too, but no one holds them against you. You are making the wrong choice right now. Chloe is special Oliver, and you can't tell me that you don't feel it. When you say that she made her choice, that she chose him over us, you really mean that she chose him over you, don't you?"

"Clark, what you are implying has nothing to do with it. She chose the enemy over her team. What kind of leader would I be if I allowed that insubordination to go unpunished? She's no longer welcomed on my team. I hope she has a good life, but I no longer want her to be a part of mine at the moment. Her betrayal cut deep."

"Betrayal? Oliver, she never betrayed you. However, and I am not sure that this is the right time to bring this up, but it needs to be addressed."

"Ok Clark," Oliver looked right at him waiting for the next blow to happen. What else can possibly go wrong in his life right now? Oliver thought. "What? What else needs to be said?" He shrugged.

"Well," Clark paused, he knew that this was going to be tough on Oliver, "there maybe a slight problem."

"How problematic are we talking about?" Oliver asked trying to get Clark to the point.

"The team may have been compromised." Clark said quickly.

"May have been compromised how?" Oliver looked at him alarmed. Fear for his friends over taking the anger at Chloe for the moment.

"Well, you see, Chloe sometimes talks in her sleep." Clark began, Oliver knew full well that she talked in her sleep having been privy to over hearing a conversation or two that she's had while she was asleep, himself.

"Ohh kay? What does that have to do with the team?" He wondered aloud.

"Well, let's just say that she may have divulged a name or two while she was sleeping. She would never have let any information about the team slip while she was a wake, but asleep she would have no control over what she said. She may not have said anything to Davis about the team, but she didn't want to take that chance. She wanted to warn you about the possibility."

"See Clark. **THIS**!," Oliver's anger exploded as he pointed at Clark, " is **EXACTLY** what I was talking about!" He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "Her decision to leave has left us with a ripple effect. Now I have to scatter the team for their own protection on the off chance that she told Davis about them while she slept. This is the betrayal I was talking about." He said as he walked away from Clark and headed to his computer. He wasn't sure if the guys were on their way to the penthouse at the moment or not. They were all supposed to meet at the penthouse that morning to discuss their search plans. He would have to send a coded text to the guys to meet him here ASAP. Well, Dinah at least was safe in Hong Kong at the moment on an assignment unrelated to this situation. He was glad he didn't call her back to help with the search for Chloe.

"Oliver, you can't hold her responsible for this…she was asleep." Clark argued as he followed Oliver over to the computer.

"Of course I can hold her responsible for putting the team in jeopardy. It was her responsibility, it is her fault that the team has to be scattered. See, Clark, she is completely responsible for all of this, and I just can't forgive that right now. I can't let go of my anger at her as easily as you can. She did this. She caused this. This all is her fault. She left." Oliver turned his back and began walking away from Clark again.

"Oliver, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to call in the team and send them to the safe houses once we have a plan established. You can take care of yourself and of Chloe. I have to worry about my team, Clark. I will not let anything happen to them because your sidekick thought that she could play superhero while she wasn't equipped to do so."

"My sidekick, huh? She used to be our sidekick. For awhile there I was having to share her. I actually thought that I may have lost her to you for a while there."

"Well, you can have her back. I don't want her anymore. You can tell Chloe, that she's fired. I will find someone else to be Watchtower."

"Oliver, don't you think that that's a bit severe?"

"No, I don't. Now if you will excuse me, I have to take care of my team. I think you know the way out."

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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	7. Chapter 7

Title: Penance 7/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, Sorry this is soo short, but I hope you like it none the less.

I've got the next chapter almost done...the much anticipated reunion between Chloe and Oliver. :)

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Clark sped back to his farm, Chloe had moved from the kitchen to the living room. The TV on CNN as she scanned the news channels for any news or information on Davis. She was standing in the middle of the room in front of the TV, remote in hand; ready to change the channel again when she heard the back door open and close. She knew it was Clark. His footsteps had a distinctive sound as he walked across the kitchen linoleum floor. She turned when she heard Clark enter the living room, though her focus was still mainly on the news, she didn't notice his stricken expression.

"Clark, I have to get to either Oliver's or to Isis. I have to get on the computer so that we can find Davis and figure out a plan. I am sure that Oliver will have the team ready for this mission…Clark, what's wrong?" She had finally turned and centered her full focus on him…he was just standing there looking at her. He obviously had received bad news and was not looking forward to telling her about it.

"Chloe…I'm really not sure how to tell you this. Maybe you want to sit down."

"Oh God Clark, just tell me that something hasn't happen to Oliver or to the boys or Dinah. Please just tell me that they are ok." She said as she remained standing.

"Yes, they are fine. But Oliver, he's…Chloe, I just…Well," Clark stuttered. He really didn't want to be the one to tell her what Oliver had said to him.

"Spit it out, Clark. Just like a band aide if you pull it off quickly the pain doesn't last as long."

"Chloe, Oliver said that you were," he just couldn't bring himself to use the word, 'fired' "that he doesn't want you to be Watchtower any longer."

"What?" She said softly. Her disappointment and heart break shown on her face. She stumbled backwards until the back of her knees were up against the coffee table. She slowly sank down so that she was sitting on the coffee table, she wasn't sure if her legs would support her. 'They hated her now,' kept running at 'Clark' speed through her brain. She let it sink in, Clark's words, before she spoke again. Her head sunk into her hands as she felt the familiar wetness begin to gather behind her lids. She knew she had to get this crying thing under control and soon. She struggled to keep her composure, she would not let the tears fall this time. Her hurt and anger would be her fuel for the up and coming battle.

"Why?" She asked already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it nonetheless. She pulled her head out of her hands; her watery eyes looked straight into Clark's remorseful ones. "Why, Clark? Tell me why he doesn't want me back."

"Chloe, he thinks that you are untrustworthy and that you've betrayed the team by leaving with Davis."

"Betrayed the team? Untrustworthy? Clark, is he serious! I left with Davis for the team and for you, for him!"

"Ah, there's the other thing." Clark shook his head in bemusement. "Chloe, I am not sure how or why but this has something to do with me too. It was in the way he said things, the way he looked at me; I am not sure what that is, Chloe. He's bitter. He's angry and hurt." He watched her gather her courage and stand up from where she sat. She looked around her, spotting her jacket on the chair off to the side she went and retrieved it. He knew what she was going to do as she put her arms into the sleeves and made her way to the door. "Maybe it's wise to give him time to come to terms with his emotions before you go off and confront him." He said as she reached for the door knob.

"Clark, I have to straighten this out. He has to know that nothing happened between Davis and me. He has to know that I the only reason I left with Davis was to protect the people I care about, not because I loved him like I told you. I only said that so that you all wouldn't waste your time searching for me. That idea has certainly blown up in my face. This could ruin everything. God, Clark this was the worst mistake of my life; it could have cost me the one and only thing I have ever…never mind. I have to go. I have to go see him. I have to try to straighten this out." She looked at him willing him to understand without her having to speak the words.

"Chloe, I am really not sure if that is such a good idea. You are both too emotional right now and we all need to keep clear heads. We have to come up with a way to defeat Doomsday and save Davis in the process. Oliver wants me to just kill Davis. He's changed Chlo, over night or rather in the last five days since you've been gone. He's changed into someone, I don't know. Someone cold. Someone cut off. He was willing to sacrifice Davis and anyone else for that matter. I don't know what happened but he's not the Ollie that we know and love. He's become someone, something different…darker."

"That is why I have to go see him. Oliver's still in there, maybe I can reach him. He must be having a meeting soon with the guys." Her brain was spinning trying to figure out the quickest way to reach Oliver. "Clark take me to his penthouse, please. I need to see him face to face. I need to talk to him. Clark I need this, Oliver needs this." She pleaded urgently already opening the door. She'd walk all the way to Metropolis if she had to.

"Chloe, I know it's none of my business, but is there something more going on between Oliver and you?" He said as he stood in front of her studying her.

"I don't know anymore, Clark. I don't know. If Oliver is reacting the way that you said he is then I really, honestly don't know." Her bottom lip curled up over her top lip in a pout as she tried to hold back her dread. But her eyes, her expressive green eyes, conveyed the fear and trepidation that she was feeling, to Clark. This was not going to be pretty between Chloe and Oliver. Clark just knew it.

Clark scooped Chloe up into his arms and ran her to Oliver's place. He reached the penthouse just as the guys were getting there too. They must have already been on their way over to Oliver's when they got the text. Their elation over seeing Chloe morphed into a welcome home celebration on the street in front of Oliver's building.

"CHLOE!" Bart tackled the woman as he appeared out of thin air.

"Bart!" She cried out as she was twirled in the air, slowly for Bart, quickly for Chloe. "I've missed you too!" She exclaimed dizzily as Bart put her two feet back on the ground. Victor and AC each grabbed her, sandwiching her in between them then Bart jumped back in on the hugging action. Clark just chuckled at their awkward group hug. This was how it was supposed to be when Chloe returned, Clark thought…the missing piece back in its rightful place.

"Chloe! Chica! Where have you been? Why'd you leave us?" Bart asked the question on all the guys' minds.

"Ahh, before you answer that, Chloe, why don't we head inside? Guys," Victor said to Bart and AC, "Don't you think we should do the Q&A inside instead of out here on the street?"

"Oh Yeah! I bet Ollie is going to be beside him self. He's been practically out of his mind about this whole thing. You really pulled a number on him this time, Chloelicious."

"Yeah, so I've been told." She said as she looked over her shoulder at Clark. AC looped his arm over Chloe's shoulder in a big brother kind of manner as they walked through the doors that lead to the lobby of Oliver's building. They were all glad that she was back. Chloe and the boys waved 'hello' to Fred the security guard and headed off to Oliver's private elevator that lead to his personal apartment. As the doors of the elevator closed Chloe pressed the emergency stop button, stalling their arrival to Oliver's apartment and spoke again to all the guys. "Look guys, I think that there might be some issues that will come up between Oliver and me that I want you all to stay out of, ok? We'll work them out ourselves. No matter what happens or what is said up here today, I want you all to know; I am and always shall be your Watchtower and your friend. I love all of you; you've all become part of my family."

"Chloe, what's going on? You're talking like you're leaving again." Bart said worriedly.

"I don't want to leave again but I just may have to. I have a feeling that things between Oliver and me are going to get heated…and not in a good way," she said pointedly at Bart and AC as they both looked like they were about to crack a joke. "But if I have to leave," she said seriously, looking at all her 'boys,' "I want you all to promise me that you will take care of each other and especially of Oliver. He's really hurting right now and he's really going to need you. But you need to always remember that if you need me, no matter what, I will always be there for you. There are going to be NO taking sides in this. You will all stand behind Oliver. Promise me."

All the guys shook their heads no, not wanting to let her go again.

"Chloe," Clark said, "regardless of what happens between you and Ollie I am your friend. It's going to be you and me always…do you understand? If Oliver doesn't want you to come back well, that's his loss and he's a fool, but I am NOT giving you up again."

All the guys agreed with Clark. They loved Oliver but they also fell in love with Chloe. They knew that they should be loyal to Oliver, he being their friend and benefactor, hell he was their leader…but he was wrong if he was going to make Chloe leave the team. They weren't complete before she arrived; they certainly won't be complete if she has to leave.

"Clark's right, Licious. We've just got you back! I don't want you to leave." Bart pouted like a child who's been told he couldn't have something.

"Look guys, I appreciate all of this, I really do. I wasn't expecting for everyone to welcome me back with open arms the way that you all have. I've missed you, all of you. My heart was aching for you while I was with Davis, but Oliver is our leader and whatever he says goes. Got it. If that means that I am off the team, then that means that I am off the team. You are his team, his family. You will support him. You will not choose between us, there is no choice. Things will go back to the way they were before I joined the team, understood. It will be like I've never existed. You will do this for Oliver especially after all that he's done for you."

"Chloe, you are talking like you already know the outcome of this meeting with Oliver. Is there something that you aren't telling us that we should know?" Victor asked.

"I know Oliver." She said quietly and backed up into the far corner of the elevator after she hit the button that would reactivate it. The conversation that they were having ended abruptly as the elevator carried them up to the penthouse. The morose group waited for the doors to open, dreading what was about to transpire between Oliver and Chloe. No one had a good feeling about this confrontation.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Penance 8/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, here's the much anticipated reunion between Chloe and Oliver. :)

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Oliver stood at his monitors, waiting for the team. He had watched them all meet up outside with Chloe and Clark and then watched them have a semi private meeting in the elevator. They had all looked overjoyed to see Chloe but the minute she stopped the elevator their expressions had changed from joyous to somber. Oliver warred with himself silently as he watched his teammates gaze sadly at Chloe. He could only surmise that she was telling them good bye. Clark must have given her his message. If that were the case though, then why was she here? He began to wondered if maybe he was over reacting. But wasn't it his responsibility to do what he felt was right for the team? He was their leader, their protector and Chloe couldn't be trusted with their safety any longer. His doubt nagged at him. He honestly didn't expect the guys to welcome her back as quickly as they had. It seemed that to them Chloe never left the team for Davis, it was like she had been on a mission of some sort. Should he have looked at her leaving like that? His heart and his brain battled endlessly. 'No.' His brain said to him as his heart began to yearn for her. The ache in his heart grew exponentially just seeing her on the monitor and knowing that she was minutes away from being in his arms again whittled at his anger. 'NO!' His brain screamed causing him to shake his head to clear it. She had left him for another. Chloe and he had more going on between them than just friendship. They had slept together. They had shared something very intimate together that he had never shared with another woman. He thought that they were starting something.

He didn't have the time to ponder his dilemma any longer, the doors to the lift opened, and out stepped Victor and AC talking animatedly as well as Clark and Bart. Bart was telling Clark all about his adventures south of the border. Oliver couldn't help himself; he anxiously looked around Clark to see if Chloe was going to get off the elevator. His breath caught in his chest as it always did when he first caught glimpse of her, but his wave of joy at seeing her was quickly squashed by the anger that bubbled in the pit of his stomach. Oliver watched as she stood for a solitary moment by herself in the elevator. She gathered her courage, took a breath, and stepped off the elevator. When she raised her eyes to find him, her green eyes locked onto his brown ones and she was all business. At that moment he knew for sure that Clark did tell her what he had said.

His lips quirked into a small smile, as angry as he was he still admired her gumption; her spunk. She was such a brazen little thing to show up here, knowing how angry he was with her. Oliver quickly wiped the smile off his face; his brain flashed an image of Davis's arms wrapped possessively around Chloe's tiny frame. His anger and jealously roared within him. His smile was replaced by a look of disgust. He had to turn away from Chloe in order to address the guys, his Green Arrow persona gratefully taking over. If she was going to be all 'Watchtower' and all business; he was going to be Green Arrow and leader of the team.

"Guys…ok, I need you all to settle down so that we can get right to business. We have very important matters to discuss. But before we begin," he turned around to look at her, his face completely void of emotion, "Chloe, what are you doing here? I am sure Clark has relayed my message for you. This is a team meeting and I distinctly recall telling Boy Scout here that you were no longer a part of this team or welcomed here at Head Quarters." Oliver paused; there was a collective gasp that drew his attention from Chloe. The guys were surprised that he was really going to do this to her…Chloe on the other hand didn't seem the least bit surprised. "I really didn't think that I needed to tell you this in person." He turned from her and walked over to his desk. Victor, Bart and AC collectively sat down in shock on the couch as Clark stood sentinel at Chloe's side ready to jump to her defense should she need it, but knowing full well that Chloe had to battle this war herself.

"Oliver," Chloe called softly in a soothing tone that she only used with him, "can't we even talk about this?" She pleaded.

"Oh NOW you want to talk about Doomsday?" He whirled around to look at her completely, his face no longer void of emotion but masked with his rage, "Right…like there is anything that you can say that I will believe. What can you possibly say to me, Chloe, to make what you've done ok? You turned on us; you turned on your team! YOU BECAME THE ENEMY! I NEVER thought that you could do that." Oliver lost control of his anger. His voice rose to a level that he had never used with her or with any of them. His hurt shown clearly in not just the words he used but on his face. He was hurting a lot more than any of them had realized, well all except Chloe. She knew.

"I did no such thing, Oliver!" She defended herself, "I did what I thought would save all of you!"

"Right," he snarked back at her, "nice cover. Want to try again? I don't know maybe try something a little more believable? I am not as gullible as the others, I KNOW the real reason you betrayed us."

"Where are you going with this, Oliver?" Clark spoke up for the first time.

"Well Clark," He looked from Chloe to Clark with a sneer on his face, "it just seems awfully convenient that once Chloe found out about Davis's origins that she dumps all of us and focuses all her energy on him. Trying to 'save' him all the while she's trying to 'protect' us. Sounds like bullshit to me. Come on Clark, we all know that Chloe is in love with you. She has been since she was a little girl. It's just you won't even give her the time of day. She's just your friend…your ever faithful shadow. She's your go to girl when you need something, isn't that right, Clark? Well, that's how it was until Davis arrived on the scene, right Chloe? " Oliver's attention once again focused on her. "After Clark ordinary men just weren't good enough for you, huh?"

"That is NOT it at all, Oliver! And you KNOW it!" Chloe's anger started to simmer. How dare he bring up her unrequited love of Clark as a girl. He was playing dirty and in front of everyone too.

"What Chloe? Did Davis not want you either so you had to crawl back to Clark with your tail between your legs?" The slap that she hit him with resounded across the room. He deserved it. The guys were being torn in two; they sat transfixed as they watched the battle between Ollie and Chloe. Clark on the other hand took two steps toward Oliver, his anger at how he was speaking to Chloe evident as his eyes went from cobalt blue to fire hot red. But that didn't halt Oliver's anger. He was on a roll.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, OLIVER! There is no need to speak to her like that!" Clark roared at Oliver as they engaged in a staring match. Chloe was shocked that she had actually struck Oliver.

"Yeah, Dude, a bit harsh dontchya think?" AC piped up from the couch. Victor elbowed him in the ribs. "What, Tinman? Geez!" He said to Victor as he rubbed his rib.

"This is between them, Fish stick, remember what Chloe said?" Victor whispered to AC but Bart had to throw in his two cents.

"Yeah, but Vic that was before Ollie started throwing low blows." He whispered across AC.

"Doesn't matter. This is between them; remember we promised to stay out of this, no matter what was said. We gave her our word." He looked at them both.

"Fine. But I still think that he's blowing this out of proportion." AC said as he crossed his arms over his chest and sat back like a sullen child.

"Yeah, what he said." Bart mimicked AC's actions.

"You two are children, you know that? Maybe we should give them some privacy?"

"What and miss the fireworks?" Bart piped up, "no way man! This super speedy butt is not moving off of this couch unless the Boss man or Chloelicious says so and you can't catch me to make me, either, so don't try." He looked pointedly at Victor.

"Fine." Victor replied, as he copied AC's movements, crossing his arms and sinking back into the couch.

Oblivious to what was going on over on the couch, the three main participants of the melodrama that was unfolding began again. Clark was the first to break the staring contest that he was engaged in with Oliver by speaking.

"Oliver, you have NO right to speak to Chloe like that and I will NOT…"

"Clark," Chloe interrupted him, "it's ok."

"WHAT? His speaking to you like that is most certainly NOT ok." Clark turned to speak to Chloe but he could see the determination in her eyes.

"Clark, I can handle this. You and the team need to figure out a plan to defeat Doomsday. I need to speak to Oliver alone; in private…that means no eavesdropping, ok?" After hearing Chloe say that, Victor just smugly looked over at both AC and Bart. The 'I told you so' never spoken but was heard loud and clear by both men.

"Yeah, Clark, she's a big girl now, she's proven that by running away." Oliver said to Clark a sneer on his face directed at Clark.

"Ah man, now why couldn't Ollie leave well enough alone?" Bart said to Victor and AC as he shook his head in dismay over Oliver's quip.

"He must have a death wish to be intentionally pissing off Clark." AC replied, his eyes glued to the scene before them.

"Enough Oliver! You are acting like a child." Chloe stepped in between Oliver and Clark, "If you have something you want to say to me, let's take this into your study and you can have at it in private. But at least have the decency to act your age."

"Fine Chloe, lead the way." He said with false pleasantry and motioned with his hands that she should walk down the hall to the study and he would follow her lead, "There are a few things that I think that need to be said." Oliver turned to the men sitting on the couch, "There are schematics on the table. Diagrams and plan outlines by the computer. I was up until 6 this morning working on some ideas. Take a look at them. Once I am through with this situation we will need to work out a plan and then we need to also discuss new living arrangements. I've been informed that the team may have been compromised recently."

Chloe turned to walk to the study but Clark grabbed her arm before she could leave, "Chlo, do you think being a lone with him while he's like this is a good idea?"

"Clark, he won't physically hurt me, if that is what you are worried about. Oliver maybe angry with me…hell he's down right pissed off at me, but he would NEVER lay a hand on me. That is a fact I know."

"But Chloe…"

"No, Clark this has to be done. He and I have to do this if we are ever going to move on. Work on a plan with the other guys. I'll be ok." She said and turned to go into the study followed closely by Oliver. He scowled at Clark before he closed the door.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	9. Chapter 9

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a href=".com/cking1575/pic/00003x4h/"img src=".com/cking1575/pic/00003x4h/s320x240" width="320" height="179" border='0'//a

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Fic: Chloe/Oliver – Penance 9/?

Title: Penance 9/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, Thanks for staying with me and reading this fic. Sorry to say that this chapter is going to have to sustain you for a little while…I'm going away for the weekend. I should have the next chapter up early next week. Speaking of next week, do you all know about the 31st Annual Superman Celebration in Metropolis Illinois? It takes place on June 11th through June 14th. Justin Hartley (Green Arrow) and Phil Morris (Martian Manhunter) and Noel Neil (Lois Lane from Superman TV series from 50s) will all be there signing autographs! Yeah my daughter and I are going!!! I'm sooo excited!!! I can't wait! Here's the website should anyone want to check it out:

.com/content/view/94/113/

And

.

Thought I'd share this info with all of you!

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Previously on Penance...

Chloe turned to walk to the study but Clark grabbed her arm before she could leave, "Chlo, do you think being a lone with him while he's like this is a good idea?"

"Clark, he won't physically hurt me, if that is what you are worried about. Oliver maybe angry with me…hell he's down right pissed off at me, but he would NEVER lay a hand on me. That is a fact I know."

"But Chloe…"

"No, Clark this has to be done. He and I have to do this if we are ever going to move on. Work on a plan with the other guys. I'll be ok." She said and turned to go into the study followed closely by Oliver. He scowled at Clark before he closed the door.

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"Ok, here we are. What do you want to say? Let's get this over with I have a mission to plan and a monster to destroy." Oliver said to Chloe as he briskly walked past her.

"Oliver, what is wrong with you? I understand that you are upset that I left the way I did, but can't you understand that I had no choice. He would have killed you damn it! He would have killed Jimmy! Why is it so difficult to believe that I left to protect you? Why can you believe the worst of me before you know the facts?"

"The facts, Chloe? You want to know what facts I know? Fact," he held up his index finger of his right hand, "you left with a monster. Fact," his middle finger joined his index finger, "you told Clark that you were in love with Davis and that you and he were going to disappear. Fact," the ring finger of his right hand joined the other two fingers, "I searched high and low for days for you…for a fucking clue that you were all right, but you never left me one. Fact," his pink joined the other three fingers, "you didn't even care enough about me…about anyone other than Clark to even call to say goodbye. Fact," his thumb joined the rest of his fingers, "you chose him over me. This was NEVER about you protecting us, this was all about you wanting Clark or wanting someone as close genetically to Clark as you could get." "

"That is not true, Oliver, and you know it." She exclaimed.

"Do I, Chloe? Because from where I am standing I feel like I've never known you at all! I thought what we had was special, a once in a lifetime kind of thing. But that night obviously meant nothing to you because you didn't even have the decency to clue me into what you had in mind. How am I supposed to trust you again? How am I supposed to trust you with my heart?" He placed both his hand over his heart as if to guard it from her, "I can't, and if I can't trust you, then you can't be part of this team. I need to know…to trust that you will always have my back and I don't."

"Oliver, I would never let anything happen to you or to the others, you know that."

"NO Chloe! That is what I am telling you, I don't know that! I don't trust in that anymore!" His voice rose as he walked around his oak desk, putting space between them.

"God! Oliver!" She yelled as she walked to the opposite side of his desk, exasperated with his not understanding, "TELL ME THEN!" She screamed at him as she slammed her hand on the hard wood her anger breaking through her tentative grasp. "Tell me what I need to do for penance! What do I need to do, Oliver, to be absolved of my sin!" She looked him in the face, her anger taking control loosening her tongue making her say things that she would never have said had she not been angry. "YOU!" she pointed at him, "can NOT tell me that you have NEVER made the wrong decision and have since regretted it. YOU ARE SUCH A HYPERCRIT, OLIVER!" She lowered her hand and placed it palm down on the hard wood of his desk where it joined her other hand and she leaned in over the desk, never breaking eye contact with him. "What makes you so much better than me? At least I chose the one path that protected the people I cared about, and I didn't murder anyone to do it." She threw at him in a low controlled voice, malice dripping off of every word. She knew that bringing up Lex really wasn't a good idea but her brain was not in control at the moment, her anger was.

"Yeah, this time, isn't that right, Chloe? Tell me something, how much blood do YOU actually have on those little hands of yours, huh?" His eyes flickered down to her hands then back to her face. He, too, placed both his hands on his desk and leaned in…He was Oliver Queen and he was NOT going to be intimidated by this little snip of a woman. "How many people have you actually killed in the name of "protecting" Clark?" He sneered at her, "I did what needed to be done," he punctuated each syllable with his finger tapping the desk harshly, "what needed to be done for years but Clark was too self righteous to take care of him. I," he stood to his full height and placed his right hand on his chest, "a mere human, actually had to do what your all powerful Clark couldn't do. I actually had to stop Lex the only way that would stop him forever. Lex would have destroyed the world! THE WORLD, Chloe" he gestured to the globe that was in the corner of the room, "not just Clark. That's where were we differ," he waved his hand back and forth in the air between them, "Chloe, the world…the people of this world-- our world, is what's important to me…not one lone citizen who was sent here to protect us, to save us. Clark may be all powerful, but what is he REALLY doing with his powers? He's a part-time hero in a world filled with full-time criminals. It's time that he stepped up his game, but he doesn't and you don't see anything wrong with that? You just devote your life to worshiping at the 'save the Clark alter.' You," he pointed at her, "are an enabler of the worst kind. No matter what he does, what he avoids, who he refuses to kill…Clark does no wrong in your eyes and you just sacrifice your life for his happiness and he doesn't even appreciate what you do for him. Betraying us for Clark I could possibly understand, but Davis now? DAVIS, CHLOE!" He slammed his hands down hard on his desk. "How could you not tell me about him? How could you hide him and then leave us for him?" Hurt battled his anger in his eyes as he looked at her, "Oh yeah! It was all for Clark! You were willing to place your life and the safety of the world in jeopardy for none other than CLARK FUCKING KENT!" Anger won out over his hurt as he screamed at her.

"So, let me get this straight," she straightened her spine and tapped her chin as if she were thinking through a puzzle, "this is really about Clark…NOT Davis! OLIVER, YOU ARE JEALOUS of Clark Kent! That is your problem." She rounded the desk to stand before him. "This really has nothing to do with my not telling you about Davis…or as you so eloquently put it…my betrayal. This is about YOU," she said as she poked him in the chest, "not having the powers that Clark has or about YOU," she poked him again, "not having the integrity that Clark has. This is about YOU," she shoved him causing him to take a step backward in surprise at her physical attack as she continued. She was so angry. He was punishing her for something that she had nothing to do with but he was blaming it on her, "wanting to be like Clark and KNOWING that you will never be half the man he is because Clark places value on ALL human life and YOU," she poked his chest again, "have taken a life. You want Clark to come down to your level by killing Davis…by taking his life…you think that it will make you even? That Clark won't be a better hero than you are because if he kills Davis then he'd have blood on his hands? Well, I won't let that happen, Oliver! Clark is what this world needs Oliver! He is the hero that will save us. That will bring hope back to humanity. I believe that. He IS Earth's Savior…not you, not me, not even the team. NO, it's Clark. It may bruise your ego to realize that you will NEVER be the hero that Clark Kent will or is but it's a truth that you have to accept. You have two choices Oliver," she held up two fingers of her right hand, "either get over it or get used to it. Oh and for Christ's sake grow up. If you can not forgive me for my mistake, so be it. I don't need friends like you anyway. Clark forgives me and the team forgives me…but I care about you, Oliver." Her voice softened the harsh tone from moments before all but disappeared, "you will one day realize your mistake in refusing to forgive me and by then it will be too late. I may not WANT your forgiveness or your friendship." She stepped closer to him, standing but a breath away from him looking up, her eyes begging him to forgive her…to wrap her in his arms and hold her tight like he had a couple of weeks ago.

"Oliver, you once told Lois that leaving her was going to be the moment in your life that you will look back and regret. You were wrong." She whispered. "If you let me walk into that elevator and out of your life…THAT will be the moment you regret for the rest of your life." Chloe said looking him in the eye. His dark brown eyes turn hard as he waited for Chloe's exposition to end…a hardness that she had seen in his eyes when only looking at his enemies while in his Green Arrow guise. Chloe knew without a doubt that Oliver was not going to stop her. His walls were up, she had hurt him in a way that she never thought that she would ever have. As for penance, she knew that there would be no forgiveness from Oliver this day or even anytime soon. Her friendship with him had been irrevocably damaged. And that knowledge saddened Chloe. She knew that she would miss him more than he would realize.

"Go ahead, Chloe." He leaned down so that he was at eye level with her, "I promise you, your leaving is something I won't regret now or ever. You betrayed not only me, but the team and the people of this world. You made your choice. If the others choose to forgive you that's on them, but to me you are untrustworthy and already gone from my life. You broke that trust the moment Davis showed up and you hid him from us." He took a step backwards away from her. Images of Davis and Chloe various positions flashed through his mind as his imagination went haywire.

"Leave Chloe! Walk away!" He screamed at her and pointed to the servants' elevator, indicating to Chloe that she was nothing more than hired help to him, "You're good at that, aren't you! Leaving…running when things get difficult. I don't need someone like that. You are not who I thought you were, Chloe. I meant it when I said I NEVER thought that you could ever become the enemy but you did…willingly. Our friendship, as well as anything else that was beginning, dissolved in the moment you chose Davis Bloome over not just your friends but over the well-being of the world. I can't even stand to look at you right now, let alone forgive you." He said and the disgust in his eyes and the loathing on his face told Chloe that he was telling the truth.

"Oh Oliver," she said achingly, "I am so sorry that you feel that way." A tear slid from her eye as she began to turn around. "Goodbye Oliver, I loved you." She said quietly. She turned for one last look at him over her shoulder but his back was to her…she had been dismissed. He was walking away from her, heading to his Green Arrow room. Another tear slid from her eye followed by another and then another. A tear for each step that carried her to the servants' lift that Oliver had in his study; she chose to leave via that lift because she couldn't face the other men in the next room. She'd wait for Clark outside; she needed the fresh air to clear her head. She closed her eyes as the lift door slid closed, silently praying that Oliver would stop the door from shutting and whisk her into his arms begging her to forgive his behavior. The loud bang of the door closing into place startled her and made her jump. The door was symbolic to her life, closing the door on her friendship with Oliver Queen forever.

"Sidekick," Oliver croaked out, one lone tear managed to leak from his eye as he watched the door slide close from the monitor in the Green Arrow room, forever locking Chloe out of his life. He watched her in the elevator on the monitor in his study… his eyes never left her. He watched as she struggled to gain control over herself as sobs threatened to convulse her little body. Her little hand pushed against the wall of the elevator as if she were gathering her strength from the metal of the lift. Her eyes closed in an attempt to lock her tears behind her lashes. The sliding door had opened twice before she had the courage to step from it into the lobby of the building. He watched her gather up her resolve, place one foot in front of the other and walked out of his building…out of his life.

What had he done? Was she right about this being about his guilt over killing Lex and his jealousy of Clark? Was he so jealous of Clark being the hero that he had always wanted to be that he let the best thing to ever happen to him walk out of his life forever? He debated with himself about going after her as he continued to pack his Green Arrow gear. He needed a moment to gather himself and make himself presentable. It wouldn't do any good if he walked out of the study looking as though his heart had been torn from his chest…even though it just had. He was Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, he was the leader of a super hero group that saved the world on a daily basis and he had a mission to plan. His heart break would have to wait.

He wiped away the wetness that had gathered on his cheek and walk out to the living room that the guys were in. They all looked up at him, and then looked behind him expectantly.

"She left." He told them curtly as he crossed the room to where they were. "She said what she had to say and then she left. I don't know where she went and at this moment in time I don't care." He said coldly, lifelessly. "If you want to follow her she left down the servants lift in the study, she should be at ground level by now." He said to Clark, but then he slowly looked at each other man…unknowingly nervous about them all leaving him.

"Dude, we have a monster to kill don't we?" AC said to Oliver as Bart and Victor each shook their heads in agreement. Clark on the other hand grabbed his discarded jacket and headed to the elevator that they had entered little over an hour ago.

"Where are you going, Boy Scout?" Victor called to Clark.

"Well," he turned so that he was facing them, "if Chloe's not welcomed here then I guess neither am I. She is my best friend and if she isn't good enough to be here…well, you get the picture. Don't worry about Doomsday, Green Arrow; I will take care of him." Clark looked pointedly at Oliver, "I already have a plan for it. Your services in Metropolis are no longer needed nor are they welcomed here. I suggest you pack your green leather ass into your private jet and scurry back to Star City, because honestly, if I find you here after I take care of Doomsday, I just may do something that we will all regret."

"Are you threatening me, Clark" Oliver stood straight and faced Clark.

"You bet I am, Mr. Queen. You have hurt one of the people that I care about most in the world and next to Doomsday, Oliver; you are number two on my list."

"Oh Dude, so not a good place to be." AC piped in; surprisingly it was Bart who dope slapped him this time. "Sorry Geez, but it needed to be said, Clark could kick Ollie's ass with his little finger."

"Not really helping here, AC, thanks." Oliver said to him.

"Sorry, shutting up now." AC replied as he rubbed the back of his head and glared at Bart.

"Well Clark, if that is how you feel, I am sorry that we couldn't get past this. But I want you to know that no matter what was said or happened between Chloe and me; I will always consider you a friend and will be there to help you should you require the assistance. I can not fault you for showing loyalty to Chloe. That shows the mark of true character. Maybe someday, this can be all worked out, should you need us, we are but a phone call away. Come on guys, Clark seems to have this all under control, let's pack up our gear and head out. Star City needs us just as much, if not more so, than Metropolis." He began to pick up the papers and Clark left the penthouse without so much as a glance back.

"Just like that, Ollie? We're leaving just because Clark said so?" Victor looked at him confused.

"Of course not, guys, the world needs saving. Do you really think that I would fold up shop just like that," he snapped his fingers, "all because Clark is upset that I hurt Chloe's feelings. Please, I'm ok with Clark trying to come after me. I can defend myself." He was the only one who knew about his secret weapon should Clark ever decide to come after him. The Kryptonite ring that he stole from Lex before he killed him would at least by him time to escape Clark. As upset as he was…and though he denied it to Chloe he was jealous of Clark; but in the same breath he respected him and admired him all at the same time. He still considered Clark his friend, strained at the moment but still a friend.

"But Ollie, Clark is one strong dude. AC wasn't kidding when he said that Clark could kick your ass with his little finger." Bart said as he wiggled his pinky, worried that Oliver wasn't thinking clearly because of all the drama that has been going on this morning and the lack of sleep that he's been working through.

"Guys, for once and for all, please stop worrying about this. After the battle with Doomsday is over, then we will leave. But not a moment before, I just said all that stuff to get him out of here. We need to concentrate on the mission; we are not indestructible like he is and I don't want anyone getting hurt. You all are still with me, right?" Oliver looked over at the guys that he considered his family. His insecurities unknowingly playing across his face for them to see...he stood before them as Ollie…not Oliver Queen, not the Green Arrow, he was Ollie the lost orphan boy searching for his family.

"Yeah, Ollie we're with you, man. You know that we always have your back, Dude! So, ok now that all this mushy shit is cleared up, let's get this bad guy!" AC said as he pulled out the satellite diagram that he had been looking at. "I think I know where this guy is hiding. Davis Bloom/Doomsday runs about 10 degrees hotter than normal humans. See this spot here on this grid, I think that's him. He's back in Metropolis and I think he's looking for Chloe."

Oliver sat down in the chair behind the desk and lowered his head into his hands.

"Great! Fucking Great! Of course he'd be searching for her! Freaking magnet for trouble is what she is...has to be at the bloody center of it." He said muffled through his hands. The guys looked at each other quickly and then back to Oliver waiting patiently for him to finish his tirade about Chloe. "Well," he looked up at the guys, "at least no one can say that life around Chloe Sullivan is boring. Come on, let's get a plan figured out before that thing gets to her." He may be angry with her, hurt by what she said and has done, but he didn't want her to be in any danger. Whether he liked it or not, he was still as protective of her today as he was from the beginning and no matter how much he tried to purge her from his heart she still held onto it tightly. No one would ever hurt her as long as he was around.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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	10. Chapter 10

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Title: Penance 10/?

Author:Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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A/N: Sorry that this is soo short an update, I have been so busy since I've gotten back. Not to mention I've been a little lazy about typing up the story. I've got it mostly completed but it's in my notebook not on my computer. LOL I really hate typing up my stories. I'm getting it done though…slowly.

Question:

I do have a question that I would like for you all to answer if you don't mind? I wrote a scene at the very beginning of this fic. It was the scene that actually inspired this fic, it's a bit graphic, at least I think it's a little too graphic for my tastes which was why I deleted it from my original post. It is the scene that shows what happened between Chloe and Davis. I mean, what made her leave him and scream for Clark. Now, I can post it for you because I will be referencing that night in later chapters or I can leave it to your imaginations. What would you guys like to do?

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Clark caught up with Chloe without any problems on the street leading to the Isis foundation.

"Chloe!" He called to her as she walked quickly away from Oliver's clock tower and towards the Isis building. She stopped in mid stride and waited for Clark to catch up to her. She knew that he could have caught up to her easily without her having to stop but she stopped anyway. She gazed briefly up at the clock tower wondering if Oliver regretted not coming after her. Then she shook her head to clear away her relationship drama and focus on the task at hand…how can she destroy Doomsday without Clark getting Davis's blood on his hand. She couldn't allow Clark to taint his morals, she had to figure out how to save the man but kill the beast. She causally dried the tears that still leaked from behind her lashes as she turned her face up to look at him. Without a moment's hesitation he wrapped his strong arms around her tiny frame, shielding her from the world. She remained in his embrace only moments this time, having already steeled herself against the pain.

"Clark," She said to him as she pulled out of his embrace, "thanks for this, but we don't have time for comfort. We have to find Davis before Oliver does." She turned and began walking again, the Isis Foundation only minutes from Oliver's.

"We don't have to worry about Oliver any more, Chlo. I told him to leave Metropolis. I told him that we, you and I, could take care of Doomsday ourselves and that we didn't need him."

Chloe stopped walking and turned to look at Clark in surprise, "And you really think that he's packing up to leave?" She asked, surly he couldn't be as naive as that, she thought to herself. "Clark, this is Oliver Queen we're talking about. Do you really think that he'd just up and leave because you told him to get out? He doesn't take orders very well, especially since he thinks he's the alpha male of this pack of Justice Do-gooders."

"Well, let's just say that I did more than just tell him to leave." He looked down at Chloe hoping that she would silently understand what he was trying to communicate to her. "I was angry Chlo, at the way he was treating you. He deserved it."

"Deserved what, Clark?" She looked at him expectantly.

"Well, I sort of threatened him." He said in a low voice.

"You what?" She stopped walking and looked up at him.

"I threatened him. I told him that he'd better not still be in Metropolis once Doomsday's been taken care of because if he were still here then he'd be next."

"Ok, let me get this straight," she giggled at the daftness of this situation, "You threatened to do what exactly, Clark? Beat up the boy who dumped me? I thought you stopped doing that in the 8th grade. Clark, Oliver's needed here as much as you are. He's a hero in his own right, Clark. It takes a lot of courage and guts to do what he does. Just because he and I are on the outs doesn't mean that you can threaten to beat him up. I love you, you big lug, but we just may need Oliver's help with this and you what, Clark? You banished him." Chloe laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation. Not even twenty minutes before had she just told Oliver that he would never be the hero that Clark would be and out here on the sidewalk she stands sticking up for Oliver telling Clark that Oliver was a hero as much as he was. Sometimes she wished that she had normal men in her life, dealing with heroes and their egos on a daily basis is exhausting.

"Chloe, he was acting like a spoiled child, even you said so. I really didn't like the way he spoke to you and I can only image the things he said to you in the study. He needs to apologize to you." Clark pouted a little, acting a bit like a child that he accused Oliver of acting like.

"Clark, there is more going on here than you are aware of." She closed her eyes, happy flashes of her and Oliver sped across her mind's eye quickly replaced by the nightmare that happened the other night with Davis. She shivered in revulsion and snapped her eyes open. Concentrate on the here and now, she told herself as she focused on Clark's voice.

"I figured there was, Chloe. I'm not stupid. I know that something happened between you and Oliver…something dramatic that changed your whole relationship dynamic. You are keeping way too many things to yourself lately. You used to tell me these things. You used to tell me all about your crushes and what was going on in your life. Now, the only way I can get you to talk to me is if you're asleep or in trouble, and even then I only get half the story. So tell me, Chloe, tell me what's going on?"

"Clark, there's too much to tell and now is not the time to spill my guts. We have a timeline; I don't want any more people to get hurt. Clark, I need to do this. I have to focus my mind on saving Davis and not on what happened with him or with Oliver. Once we have destroyed the beast and everyone's safe, maybe then I will let myself have the break down that has been coming for a long time. I promise you after all this, we will talk, ok. But for now, let's get inside and figure out how we are going to save the man and kill the beast."

"Fine Chloe, but this conversation isn't over. After all this is taken care of you and I are going to have a long chat." She shook her head yes and hugged him tightly, she didn't tell Clark but she didn't think she was going to be coming back from this last mission. It was just a feeling that she had but it was strong. It was why it was so easy to tell the guys to back Oliver. To pretend that she had never existed as a member of the team. And even if she did manage to survive what she was sure was coming after her; she wasn't sure if once she let herself stop and think about what had happened…what the beast had done to her, if she would ever be the same. But for now, everything depended upon her keeping her focus and forgetting about what had happen. "Come on, Chlo," Clark shook her from her dark thoughts before they could take root and distract her, "let's get into Isis. I have an idea about how we can defeat the beast but save the man and I need to bounce it off of my best friend." He smiled down at her and looped his arm around her shoulders, he always marveled at how little she really was compared to him. She may be little he thought, but she was a power house to be dealt with, a real spit fire, and he was proud that he could call her his friend.

Clark and Chloe walked silently into the Isis building unaware of man in the dark blue hoody standing in the shadows of the alley across the street. His red eyes followed them. She had returned to Metropolis just as he knew she would; only she was not alone. No, she was with him, the one he was sent to destroy. She was betraying him, plotting to kill him with his enemy. The beast inside Davis roared to life, clawing at his insides fighting to be released. That was its mate walking with another, with the enemy. Davis knew that he had to get control over the beast; he couldn't let what happened the other night happen again. It sickened Davis to think that he had lost control with Chloe the way he had that night and he vowed that he wouldn't lose his control over the beast again with her. As repentant as he was for what he had done to her; Davis and the beast within him needed her for their continued survival.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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	11. Chapter 11

Title: Penance 11/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, Thanks for staying with me and reading this fic. :)

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He just couldn't get the energy to move himself from the chair in which he sat. He knew that he had a lot to do, but he just couldn't motivate himself. He didn't want to save the world anymore, not if she weren't by his side anymore. He had no idea when she had become that important to him, but she had managed to wiggle her way past his defenses and grabbed his heart with both hands. And he managed to destroy in a single morning what they had just started to build because of his insecurities. He was still angry with her for hiding and going off with Davis Bloome, but she was right; his anger had very little to do with her leaving. He was more angry with himself than with her but he took it out on her, in a way that he was positive she would never forgive. And he was sorry to for the way he behaved towards her. But he knew that being sorry for something didn't always wipe the slate clean.

He heaved a heavy sign and lowered his head back into his hands. To the guys, Oliver was the picture of abject misery and exhaustion. They could all tell that the fight he just had with Chloe took more out of him than he was trying to let on. The guys all looked at each other, concern for their friend written all over their faces. They knew that they had to save Oliver before they could save the world.

AC was the first to take initiative. He left the table with all the papers on it and walked cautiously over to Oliver. He placed a comforting hand on Ollie's shoulder before he hunched down so that he could talk face to face with the man. Oliver never looked up from his hands, something that everyone noticed. It was almost as if he were trying to hide himself until the emotions he was feeling passed. But AC didn't take offence, he understood what Oliver was feeling, they all did. Though AC had a sneaking suspicion that this was the first time that someone has managed to break through all of Oliver's defenses and grab hold of his heart. He had a feeling that Chloe was so much more than just Oliver's friend and unofficial Sidekick.

"Dude, go after her." AC tilted his head towards the window indicating the outside world but never stopped looking at the miserable man sitting in front of him. "Tell her you're sorry for whatever you said. This is Chloe, she'll forgive you. She'll forgive you anything. Don't tell Speedy over there," He lowered his voice a notch and indicated that he was talking about Bart by sticking his thumb in the others direction, "but I think our little Tower has a thing for you." AC smiled as he stood up, hoping that he was cheering Ollie up. Oliver did smile a little bit at that…even the guys had managed to pick up on his feelings for Chloe. And here he thought he was doing a good job at hiding his love for her.

"Thanks man," Oliver said a bit muffled by his hands because he needed to keep his face hidden from them until he managed to get control over his emotions. He just couldn't let them see just how vulnerable he was at this moment. "But now is not the time for this kind of drama. We need to figure out away to destroy this beast before it can destroy Clark. He may not be worried about what it can do to him, but I know that I am. Like it or not Chloe was right about one thing…the world needs Clark. Just hang on a minute guys, I just need a moment to get myself together." He kept his head bent and wiped a tired hand across face hoping that he managed to fool the guys into thinking that he was wiping away his tiredness instead of the tears that had begun to form again in his eyes. His heart hurt…more than he ever thought possible. He was having difficulty breathing the weight of not having her by his side weighed on his chest like a truck load of bricks.

Oliver stood up and walked over to the window where he looked down to the street below. He watched as Clark easily caught up to Chloe. He watched as Clark wrapped her in a hug, comforting her and watched Chloe break free from his embrace. He wondered if she were experiencing as much pain as he was. He was also wondering if pushing her away was the right thing to do. Was she right? Would this be another decision to regret in the future?

He watched from a safe distance shrouded behind the tinted glass of the window as they walked away together. He knew that there was nothing to be jealous of when it came to Clark and Chloe. He knew that she loved Clark as only a friend. Well, maybe more than a friend…she loved him more like a brother. She would do anything for him and he would do anything for her. He just couldn't stand the thought that he, Oliver, would never come before the well being of Clark Kent with her. He longed for her to just once choose what was best for him over what was best for Clark. He knew that it was selfish of him to want that but he wanted it none the less. He stood stoically at the window and watched them walk out of sight towards the Isis building, his once united team now divided into two. How was he supposed to fix this? How was he supposed to mend the rift that had managed to grow between him and Chloe? He had already begun to regret the words that he screamed at her moments before. The hurt in her eyes as she looked at him would forever haunt him. She was right again; he letting her go was going to be his greatest regret.

"You know," he said with his back to the guys as he remained looking out the window, "I said some pretty harsh things to her. I felt so angry and betrayed by what she did; I never stopped to think about why she did them. I am such an idiot. I just let the best thing to ever happen to me walk out of my life forever." His head bent of its own accord; tears fell freely from his eyes. He placed his palm onto the window to steady himself as his breath caught in his chest and his shoulders shook with silent sobs. The guys watched the man they most admire unwillingly grieve over the loss of his love in front of them.

"It's not too late, Ollie." Victor spoke up; he just couldn't remain silent any longer. His friends were in pain, both him and Chloe. "Go after her. Hell Bart can speed over to Isis and get her before you can blink. Don't just stand there, do something about this before it becomes too late. OH, for Christ Sakes man, cowboy up and go over there and apologize. There is no need for you to be standing here suffering. She will forgive you if you just tell her that you are sorry."

"I don't think Clark will let me anywhere near her." He said as he got his breathing and his tears under control but still kept his back to them. It was not at all like him to show this much emotion in front of anyone. He was definitely exhausted.

"Clark won't bar you from her so long as you apologize to her. Damn it APOLOGIZE! We need her. Not just for this mission, but she is a vital member of this team, Ollie. And it's not just us who need her, man. You need her, like the air you breathe. Don't think that we are stupid, we've watched what's been going on between you two for the past couple of months." Victor said causing Oliver to turn to face them in surprise evidence of his pain still wet on his face. Victor and Bart had joined AC in front of the chair that Oliver had just vacated.

"Yeah, that's right…we can put two and two together, there Boss man." Bart piped up. "I will say that I am not too thrilled over the fact that you stole my girl or for the way that you've been treating her today, but I agree with Tin man here, cowboy up Ollie, go over there and apologize to her. The quicker you get this over with the quicker we can get this Beastman out of our lives. We need you here, Dude, at 100 percent and you won't be at 100 percent without Chloelious. So go get your girl and that red and blue body guard of hers and bring them home. How difficult is it to say two words…'I'm sorry.' I guarantee that if you show up there and say those two words to her, she will wrap her arms around you and forgive you. That is who she is, Ollie. Clark will forgive you too, because that is who he is. They are two of the most forgiving people that I know and respect."

"Maybe…" Oliver began.

"No maybes about it, Dude. I am sure by they way you are acting right now that you are sorry, so do everyone a favor and just swallow your pride and go over there and at least talk to them…to her more specifically." AC didn't even care that he cut Oliver off. He could be as stubborn as Oliver. Oliver needed to get both Chloe and Clark to come back. There was no way that the team was going to survive without them especially if they went after this Beast.

"You know," Oliver said as he made his way towards the guys, "you guys are the best. I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends…for a better family. You're right, I love her and I have to go get her. I have to go show her how sorry I am for acting like an ass. Thanks." He slapped AC on the back and smiled at Victor and Bart. Bart not one for being left out and felt it was a good time to inject a bit of fun into this highly emotional scene that they were experiencing ran over to Oliver and jumped into his arms, "GROUP HUG!"

They guys all laughed as Oliver dropped Bart and he landed on the floor on his butt. "Sorry there Bart, I'm just not one to participate in group hugs." Bart looked up at Oliver, AC, and Victor from his seat on the floor, "If Chloe were here you all would have joined in the group hug." He pouted as he stood up and dusted off his butt.

"Yeah dude, that's because it's not unmanly to hug a girl, but if just four guys hugged that would look just wrong." AC laughed as he put his arm around Bart's shoulders in a brotherly gesture. "See, when Chloe is here a group hug is ok, but without her here then we'll just stay with slaps on the backs and arms over the shoulders. Got it?"

"Sure sure…so Ollie, are you gonna go get Chloelious or not? Because I could use a nice hug from the mamacita, seeing that hugs from her are now all I've got to look forward to."

"Dude, hugs from her were always what you had to look forward to. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you never stood a chance with Chloe." AC said as they followed Oliver to the room that housed his Green Arrow gear.

"Hey, that's not true, I was just biding my time until she was ripe for the picking but the Boss man over here just beat me to it." Oliver just smiled, his turmoil over loosing Chloe passed when he had decided to go to Isis to grovel for her forgiveness if need be. He was going to take his friends' advice…he was going to 'Cowboy up' and go get his girl. He grabbed the Green Arrow uniform and closed the door behind him, shutting out his friends' brotherly banter as he prepared for one of the most important missions of his life…Operation Grovel for Watchtower's Forgiveness.

Oliver had gotten his green leather pants on when the door to the green arrow room opened up to reveal Bart with his hand covering his eyes.

"Ollie, are you decent, man?" He asked and when Oliver turned to look at him he saw Bart standing by the door with his hands over his eyes.

"Ya Bart, I have my pants on, you can open your eyes and come in. What's on your mind?" Oliver waited patiently for Bart to take his hands from his eyes and look at him.

"Dude, hurry up and put a shirt on." Bart joked. Oliver chuckled as he began to dress the top half of himself. Once he was fully geared up in his Green Arrow uniform he turned back to Bart, "Ok, now what's on your mind? Changed it already? Don't want me to go grovel to Chloe and beg her to come back?"

"Nah Dude, that is exactly what I want you to do. She didn't deserve what you did to her today. You NEED to apologize for that. I am in here because I wanted to talk to you about Chloe. Look it's no secret that I have a crush on her all of you guys tease me about it but you need to know that I really do care about her, man. There is not anyone out there that I have ever met, besides Mrs. K who has treated me the way that Chloe has. Ollie, she deserves the best…and I know that you are the best. But I swear, if you ever hurt her again the way you did today, Ollie, I am not at all going to be happy with you, man. Chloelious deserves to be treated better than you treated her today. This was your one and only redo, man. She's special and you better start treating her like she is."

"I know she is, and you are right; she deserves to be treated with more respect than I showed her today. Thanks Bart, I promise you, I will treat her the way you would want her to be treated. You have my word." He slapped the younger man on the shoulder and pulled his green leather hood over his head. He grabbed his bow and quiver and headed for the elevator that lead to the garage where he housed his bike. This was a rare occurrence, he using his Green Arrow guise during the daylight hours. But like Bart said, she was a special woman.

Just as Oliver started for the elevator that would bring him to his bike his cell phone rang.

"Queen." Oliver answered a bit aggravated that he was being delayed in going over to Chloe's to apologize.

"Oliver, it's Emil. There's something that I think you need to know about." The doctor said cryptically over the phone. Oliver just didn't have a good feeling about whatever it was that Emil wanted to tell him.

"Okay." He said slowly, not sure if he really wanted to know what it was the doc was calling for.

"It's about Chloe Sullivan." He said into the cell phone as he held up the clear plastic evidence bag with her torn night gown in it.

"What about Chloe?" He couldn't keep the concern for her out of his voice.

"I can't do this over the phone, Oliver. Can you meet me at my lab?" The urgency in his voice worried Oliver even more.

"Emil, is Chloe ok? What happened?" His grip tightened on the phone.

"Oliver, calm down, as far as I can tell Chloe is just fine. But I believe that something terrible happened to her that you should be made aware of. I need to speak to you, but this is not a matter to be discussed over the phone. Can you please meet me at my lab? And if it is at all possible could you please bring Chloe with you. I believe it's vital that she seek medical treatment."

"Treatment, Emil? What the hell is going on?" His voice was laced with anxiety and fear.

"Oliver, please calm down, I won't know what really happened until I speak with Chloe, herself. Until then I have only suspicion and conjecture."

"Fine. I have an important appointment that I have to go to and then we will meet you at your lab. We should be there in an hour."

"I'll see you then."

Oliver no sooner hung up with Doctor Emil and the buzzer at the elevator buzzed. He was extremely surprised to see Clark standing in the elevator waiting to be allowed in.

"Jesus! NOW What!" Oliver said as he buzzed Clark up and walked out to the living area elevator to meet him. He really was in no mood to converse with the over protective Boy Scout. Time was ticking away and all he wanted to do was get to Chloe and apologize for the bastard that he had been to her earlier, but it seemed that fate had other plans for him.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)

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	12. Chapter 12

Title: **Penance 12**/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

**A/N: Hey Guys, I just want to send a quick shout out to Miss_Morrygan as a thank you for helping with an important matter concerning this chapter so THANKS BIG TIME, MY FRIEND!!!!!! And now to everyone else who has continued to be patient with me and my updates thanks for staying with me and continuing to read this fic. :)**

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**Previously on Penance:**

"Fine Chloe, but this conversation isn't over. After all this is taken care of you and I are going to have a long chat." She shook her head yes and hugged him tightly, she didn't tell Clark but she didn't think she was going to be coming back from this last mission. It was just a feeling that she had but it was strong. It was why it was so easy to tell the guys to back Oliver. To pretend that she had never existed as a member of the team. And even if she did manage to survive what she was sure was coming after her; she wasn't sure if once she let herself stop and think about what had happened…what the beast had done to her, if she would ever be the same. But for now, everything depended upon her keeping her focus and forgetting about what had happen. "Come on, Chlo," Clark shook her from her dark thoughts before they could take root and distract her, "let's get into Isis. I have an idea about how we can defeat the beast but save the man and I need to bounce it off of my best friend." He smiled down at her and looped his arm around her shoulders, he always marveled at how little she really was compared to him. She may be little he thought, but she was a power house to be dealt with, a real spit fire, and he was proud that he could call her his friend.

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Clark and Chloe entered her Isis office and promptly locked the door behind them. She knew Clark well enough to know that he had something brewing in his mind.

"Ok, Clark, spit it out." She stopped just before the door to her inner sanctuary and turned to him

"Spit what out?"

"It. Whatever it is that is causing you to have your thinking face on. What are you thinking so hard about?" She chuckled a little.

"I'm trying to figure out how to save the man, Chloe. That's our real problem, right? Save the man, kill the beast…but how can we do that if they are one and the same? So, that's been the issue that I have been thinking about…next to what is going on between you and Ollie. And what happened to you last night that made you give up and run from Davis."

"Yeah, how to separate the two, Davis and the beast, that really is our problem." She skipped over the other two issues. "Davis is like Jekyll and Hyde. And nothing, not even being around me anymore, calms the beast." She shook her head sadly…trying desperately to wipe the memories that flooded her mind away.

"Really?" Clark asked surprised. "When did that happen? How do you know that your calming effect has stopped working? Chloe," He said urgently his imagination began to run wild, he grabbed hold of her arm to turn her to him, but she quickly and forcefully pulled away from him. He was shocked. She was so skittish all of a sudden. He didn't like the thoughts that popped into his head each time she did that. The one thought that kept reoccurring was, 'He hurt her. Davis had hurt Chloe.' And he really didn't want to think about how he could have hurt her.

"Let's just say that I know my calming effect has stopped working, and leave it at that ok, Clark." He watched the shudder travel through her and the revulsion flash across her face. "I can no longer control the beast, Clark. It happened last night before you rescued me. I can't talk about it right now, can you just accept that? Please Clark, I just can't re-live last night right now. I have to stay focused."

"Chloe, seriously," Clark's blue eyes stared straight into her turbulent green eyes he tried to convey how much she meant to him and that she could trust him. "If anything really bad happened last night, you know you can tell me anything, right? Please Chloe, I need to know that you are ok. I can help. I feel like I am missing something important."

"I'm fine Clark." He looked at her like he didn't believe what she was saying. "I am." She said with strength in her voice that she didn't really feel. "But right now, I am barely holding on emotionally and I can't talk about last night or about what happened between Oliver and me." Her voice cracked a bit on Oliver's name. "I just can't right now, especially to you…and please don't take offense, it really isn't a matter of trust, but I just have to…I just can't right now. And I need you to understand that. I need time, Clark and when I am ready to talk about it, I will. You will be the first person I will go to, ok?"

"Ok, Chlo, I won't push you right now. But I've said this before, after all this is over, we are going to have a long talk and maybe take a vacation." Clark said trying to lighten the mood but he could feel the dread in his heart. He already suspected what happened to her but he didn't want to believe it until he heard it from her own lips. He knew why she was keeping what happen to herself…she knew that if Clark ever found out the details of what had transpired between Davis and her that Clark wouldn't save Davis. He would destroy him, just like Oliver wanted. And then all the sacrifice…all the suffering that she had endured would have been for nothing.

"So, Clark…what's the plan?" She asked trying to get the discussion back on course.

"Well, I've been thinking that Davis may not be as invincible as we thought. There is something that might work, but I can't do it alone. Do you remember when my mom and dad used that Black Kryptonite to separate me from Kal?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do. What's that got to do with…oh, I see." He loved the way her whole face lit up when she understood something. "You want to use Black Kryptonite to separate Davis and Doomsday. But where can we get any Black Kryptonite? And who's going to do the actual separation…it's not like you can handle any form of Kryptonite, and no offense Clark but I really don't have it in me to deal with you and with Kal right now."

"Ha ha, very funny. Well, I was going to ask Oliver to get me the Black Kryptonite but that was before he started acting like a jerk. Tess inherited all of Lionel and Lex's Kryptonian research and I am sure that Lionel had a piece of Black Kryptonite among all the other pieces of Kryptonite in Lex's vault. But I can't get them. I can't go into that vault so I need to find someone skilled enough to break in and get that Kryptonite without tipping Tess off. Then once Davis is split from the beast, I'll take the beast to the fortress and send him on a one way journey into the phantom zone where he can never hurt anyone again. Davis will be free of the beast and you and the world will be safe again. But this fight with Oliver has put a little crimp into that plan."

"Well, maybe you should just go back to Oliver's and apologize to him. Patch things up with him."

"Are you KIDDING?" He looked at her like she had grown another head. "I am NOT the one who needs to apologize, Chloe. He needs to apologize, and not to me either but to you. He needs to stop acting like an idiot and get past this. He needs to realize that we all need to work together as the team that he formed. You are a vital part of that team whether he wants to admit it or not, and until he steps up and admits that he was wrong for the way he treated you. I will not go to him for help." He crossed his arms across his chest and stood in front of her defiantly. She smiled at him, she didn't deserve such a wonderfully loyal friend, but she was glad that he was hers. She shook her head, now she had another problem to work on…how she was going to get the men in her life to stop acting like little boys and start acting like grown men. She understood where both Clark and Oliver were coming from but this was not the time or the place to be having this disagreement. Clark was right, they all needed to work as a team to defeat Doomsday.

"Clark, did you just hear what you said?" She looked at him like a teacher would look at a student who had the correct answer but still couldn't figure out the problem.

"Yeah, what about it?" He asked. His arms uncrossing themselves as he looked at her. She could see that he was going over every word that he just spoke to her in his mind. She huffed her bangs out of her eyes when it was obvious that he didn't understand what she was referring to.

"Ok Clark, and I quote," she used her fingers to make air quotes before she spoke the words that he just spoke to her, "'He needs to stop acting like an idiot and get past this. He needs to realize that we all need to work together as the team that he formed.' Those are pretty insightful words there, Clark. One could say that those words could be thrown at you about you threatening Oliver. You have to let what Oliver said about me go and work through this. What is going on between Oliver and me is BETWEEN Oliver and me. There is no need for you to get involved, I can handle this situation myself, and there is no need for your friendship with Oliver to suffer because of this. I appreciate you sticking up for me, but right now we have to put aside our differences and work together. Working as a team is the only way that we are all going to make it through this and defeat Doomsday."

"Chloe, no way. I am not going to that guy and apologize. It's just not happening, so let's figure out another way."

"Fine, Clark, but I think that you are acting like a big baby about this. Oliver is your friend. He's going through a tough time right now."

"Excuse me, but YOU are my friend and YOU are the one who is going through a tough time right now. Damn it Chloe, why do you always put everyone else before yourself? Oliver's a big boy, once he comes to his senses he knows where to find US."

"Fine, I give up for now. You know what, Clark;" she tapped her chin. Clark could tell that she had an idea forming in her brain. "I think I know someone who can get in and out of Tess's vault almost as well as Oliver." Chloe snapped her fingers and headed over to her computer console. She began to quickly type something into the console and all her screens came up.

"Really, who Chloe?" Clark walked up behind her watching all the monitors come to life as she searched for who she was looking for. When she finally found who she was searching for she pulled his dossier up on the monitor. The man was dressed in a black leather suit with a cowl that partially covered his face that made it looked like he had black horns on his head. Next to his picture she had accumulated some information.

Code name: Batman

City: Gotham

Powers: None

Age: mid-30s

Height: 6ft

Weight: 180-190lbs

"Who is he?" Clark asked as he went over the guy's profile.

"This is Batman, Clark. He's like Oliver…completely human without any powers; he uses technology, his intelligence, and martial arts to fight injustice. He's a contact I actually made working with the team. He's an old friend and rival of Oliver. I know that he would be willing to help us. Besides he has the best toys…but don't tell Oliver I ever said that."

"Ah ok, you sure he can be trusted?" He looked at the picture of the guy dressed in black on the screen skeptically.

"Yes, Clark, he's sort of in the vigilante business himself. He has a strong sense of justice like you and Oliver. He's done a lot to clean up Gotham. Oliver's been trying for months to get him to join the team, but like you he's kind of a loner."

"Hey, I'm not a loner. I have you. Ok, so you said that he's a friend and rival of Oliver? Rival how so and how does he know Oliver? Who is he outside of the costume?"

"Ok under normal circumstance I would never tell you who he is but since this is crunch time I guess I am going to have to tell you. You could say that they grew up together. They both went to Excelsior. They certainly have similar backgrounds. It's what drew them together. But he and Oliver sort of have this one up man ship going on. If Oliver gets a new motorcycle then he has to get a new motor cycle. If he gets a new car then Oliver has to get a bigger car. It's a 'who's dick is bigger kind of thing, I'm guessing.' He lives in Gotham, you may have heard of him…Bruce Wayne?"

"You mean the billionaire? That Bruce Wayne?" Clark was surprised.

"Yes, Clark, that Bruce Wayne. Actually I met a good friend through him, her name is Barbara and we exchange information and assistance from time to time. I am sure that if Bruce can't help us then Barbara could."

"Wow, Chloe, how many other billionaires do you know?" Clark joked with her.

"HA ha funny Clark, now do you want me to call him or are you going to go apologize to Oliver and have him help us?"

"Chloe." Clark whined. He knew that he should go to Oliver. "Damn it Chloe, it's not fair that he gets to be the jerk and the one who gets the apology."

"I know Clark, but I am going to tell you something that my father has always told me. Life isn't fair, Clark, just deal with it."

"Your father called you Clark, what a coincidence; my father called me Clark too."

"Hardy har har, you really did miss your calling in life, forget being a hero and the savior of the world, you should have been a comedian." Chloe rolled her eyes at him. This was her best friend. This was Clark, the man that she grew up with who knew all her secrets…well not all of her secrets but most of them. "So, Clark you've been talking about how I've been keeping a lot of things to myself lately…" Clark looked at her expectantly. "So, are you ever going to tell me what's going on between you and my cousin?"

"Ahh, Lois and I are friends."

"Sure. Friends. Clark, you and I are friends…what's going on between you and Lois far surpasses friendship." She said knowingly to him.

"Ahhh sort of like what's been going on between you and Oliver?" He raised his eyebrow at her."

"Ok, got it… this topic is tabled for a later discussion." She smiled up at him. They were in serious need of one on one time together. It's been too long since they just sat at the Talon and talked. She missed that. She missed him.

"Ok Clark, so what's it going to be? Should I call Bruce or are you going to go over to Oliver's place and patch things up?"

"Is there a door number 3 option?" He folded his arms across his chest again.

"Nope. Choose wisely." She said with a smirk on her face. She may just call Bruce and Barbara anyway. The more people they had to help with Doomsday the better.

"Well, I think I'll head over to Oliver's place and eat some crow. I can't believe that you are making me do this. What kind of best friend are you?" He said to her jokingly.

"Awww, I am the best friend that loves you, and if I were in your shoes you know I would swallow my pride and march off to his place and do the same thing that you are going to do. Tell Oliver I said hi." She quipped a bit of her anger at the way Oliver behaved earlier shown through.

"Chloe, do you want me to talk to him about you? Maybe I could persuade him to talk to you and you guys could work things out."

"Thanks Clark, but I just don't think that us working things out is going to happen anytime soon. I hurt Oliver. He has a right to be angry with me. I did something to him that just days before I promised that I would never do. I just wish he could understand how sorry I am that I hurt him the way I did. I just wish he'd forgive me. But this is my consequence, Clark. I knew that my choice was going to have consequences…I just hoped that he would have forgiven me. This is my burden to bear."

"Chloe, I am so sorry that you have had to risk and sacrifice so much." He walked over to her slowly and pulled her into a hug. He rested his head on the top of her head gaining as much comfort from her as she was getting from him.

"He's the only thing that I am really going to miss." She whispered into his chest. She could feel the tears burn the back of her eye lids.

"He'll come to his senses, Chlo. If he doesn't then when this is all over, I will make him." She giggled.

"Always my protector…my personal hero, huh Clark."

"Always, Chlo." He said it sincerely. She pulled away from him and looked up at him.

"Go on, Clark. Go grovel for Oliver's help. I think I am going to call Bruce and talk to him about our situation here in Metropolis. It wouldn't hurt to have another hero on standby in case Oliver decides to continue to be a jerk."

"That's a good idea. Do you think that this guy Bruce would mind coming to help us out?"

"No way, I just told you that he and Oliver have a friendly rival going on. If I tell him that Oliver is going to do this then Bruce will want in just because. Believe it or not they really are good friends and would do anything to for the other."

"Well then, I'll leave that up to your discretion then. I'm going to go talk to Oliver." But before he could leave his phone rang. It was Doctor Emil.

"Hello doc, what can I do for you?" Clark looks at Chloe.

"Hello Clark, I am sorry to have to call you under these circumstances. But I thought that you should know that Doomsday has struck again. Jon Jones called me and he's stalling the local authorities so we have a limited window to gather samples. I just thought that you could help me."

"Chloe and I will be there in a few minutes."

"Oh Chloe's with you? Thank God. I was afraid that she was still with that monster. Ah, Clark do you think bringing Chloe is the wisest decision?"

"She needs to be a part of this. Where are you?"

"I'm at the Super 8 motel on the outskirts of Edge City. Chloe should know how to get here, this was their motel room last night."

"Ok, doc we'll be there soon." Clark looked at Chloe seriously.

"Chloe, Oliver is going to have to wait. There is something that we need to do before I go talk to Oliver. That was Doctor Emil. Doomsday has struck again at a motel in Edge City. He seems to think that it was the motel that you were at last night with Davis. Now I know that you probably want to go, but if you don't think you can handle going back I won't think any less of you. You suffered a traumatic experience last night at this motel…and even if you won't tell me exactly what happened I can guess it was bad."

"I'm going, Clark." She said in a tone that broke no argument.

"I knew you were going to say that." He said as he shook his head in amusement.

"Yes, you know me soo well. Are we going to drive or are we just going to super speed over there?"

"Super speed would be faster." He hoped that she wouldn't mind super speeding over there. It was the quickest way to travel. They could get there in no time, do what needed to be done, and then get back. Maybe they would find a clue as to what Davis has been up to since last night.

"Fine, let's go." Chloe knew that Clark really didn't enjoy riding in cars. He was like Bart in that way, they preferred to run places. Cars in their opinions were too slow. He scooped her up into his arms and off they went. They reached the motel in a blink of an eye. Clark lowered Chloe slowly to the ground and held her steady until she got her land legs back.

Tbc…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	13. Chapter 13

Title: Penance 13/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG-13 Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

**A/N: Hey Guys, I just want to send a quick shout out to Miss_Morrygan as a thank you for helping with an important matter concerning this chapter so THANKS BIG TIME, MY FRIEND!!!!!! And now to everyone else who has continued to be patient with me and my updates thanks for staying with me and continuing to reading this fic. :)**

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Once Chloe's feet were secure on land she took a deep breath and tried to steel herself against what she knew was going to be an emotionally difficult fact gathering mission. She had returned to the scene of the crime…to where her nightmares were created. She took in the run down appearance of the motel; it didn't look as creepy during the day as it had at night. Regardless, it took all her will to walk through the broken door frame into the room where Davis had lost control of the beast within.

"Doctor Emil?" Clark called as he walked through the doorway. The room was dark and Chloe's eyes needed a moment to adjust from outside. She didn't immediately see the six bodies lying on the floor, two where one of the beds had been and the other four thrown all over the room. She did however; notice that the bed on which he had attacked her was left completely untouched. As she walked deeper into the room, her stomach began to rebel against her. She could feel the bile rise within her throat. She swallowed rapidly trying to keep her stomach from heaving at the sight of the bed. This had been a mistake. She should have never come back here. She stopped walking over to Doctor Emil who had been removing something from a hole in the wall. Clark continued on, un-phased, not even noticing that she was no longer following him at first.

"Over here Clark." Doctor Emil called to him. Clark walked across the room to stand beside Doctor Emil. He quickly surveyed the room, taking note now that Chloe had stopped just inside the broken door frame.

"Chloe, are you ok?" He noticed how pale she looked and he began to worry that maybe this trip had been a bit too overwhelming for her.

"I'm fine, Clark." She said, "But I think I am going to just stay here for the moment. I just can't bring myself to go in any farther."

"Ok Chlo, stay put. I am just going to help Doctor Emil gather his samples and then we can get out of here. I know this must be difficult for you. We'll make this quick, right?" He looked over at the doctor and Dr. Emil shook his head yes.

The memories of what had happened to her blitzed her brain and turned her stomach. She had no control over what she was seeing in her mind. The harder she tried to control the memories the fast and more aggressive they got until she thought that she was going to be sick. She barely heard Dr. Emil's voice as he was explaining to them how he had happened upon this gruesome crime scene.

"Jon Jones gave me the heads up when the Edge City police got the call. He's stalling local authorities so we have to move fast. Six dead in one motel room, makes stalling the locals a bit difficult for Jones."

"Bone spur embedded in the wall, you're right Doomsday did make an appearance." Clark said as he watched Dr. Emil remove the bone spur and put it into the plastic bag.

"Yeah and unfortunately he had an audience. There were four teenagers dressed in leather costumes along with a man and a woman who are also dead. The teens, I believe, were here to capture Davis Bloome for the reward that's posted in the Daily Planet and met their end after the couple over there. The man and women over there where the bed was, I believe they are the people who were staying in the room next door. The guy at the front desk told me that they had called him last night to report that they heard the screams of a young woman coming from this room. They wanted him to call the police, but the man at the front desk had ignored them, thinking that it was just a prostitute and her john having a dispute. The couple, I am assuming, came over to investigate after the woman's screams had stopped and the sounds of the room being destroyed ended. But they were unprepared for what they found. I believe they walked in on Davis transforming into Doomsday and paid the price for their Good Samaritan ship. I am also assuming that the screams of the young woman came from Chloe, from what I can gather from this scene, these young women didn't have a chance to scream."

"Oh my God! This is…I think I'm going to be sick." Chloe said as she backed closer to the door and away from the bodies in the room. "I did this. This is my fault. This happened because I didn't stay, Clark. Oh my God, I did this to them." Clark could see the tears falling from her eyes. He could feel the anguish and guilt radiate from her.

"Chloe, don't…" Clark started but she interrupted him.

"No Clark. I did this. This is entirely my fault. I just ran. I left. Clark, I killed these people. How many other people have to die because I couldn't hack it? Because I didn't have the courage to stay with him? What kind of person does that make me? I have to get out of here, Clark I'll wait for you outside. I am sorry. I just can't be in here right now." She turned to leave. She barely made it out the door before she began to vomit. Clark could hear her vomiting outside and went to talk to her.

"Chloe?" He called to her softly as she wiped the remnants of breakfast from her lips. "Are you ok?" He worriedly asked her, her pallor decidedly off.

"Yeah, Clark, I'm fine. I just think that all the mayhem is a little bit more than I can handle. I think I'm going to stay outside here. I need the fresh air."

"Chlo, I don't like you being out here all alone. At least not while Doomsday could still be near by."

"Clark, I am just going to be right here outside the door. I can't go back in there. I just can't. Trust me, if he comes back, I'll holler, but I can't go back inside. I need to stay out here for now. Go in and help Dr. Emil so that we can get the hell out of here. The sooner we get out of here the quicker we can find Davis and end this. Please Clark, just go back in, I'll be fine." She said as she slid down the wall resting her head against the wooden shingles, crossed her legs and sat Indian style. "See, right here," she looked up at him and then closed her eyes to quell the dizziness that began to over take here, "this is where I am going to stay." Clark knelt down so that he was close to her, she opened her eyes to look at him, and he could see the turbulent emotions swirling within her eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. He wished that he could take away all the bad that had happened to her these last few days. She didn't deserve this torment. He stood up and went back into the room. She was right the quicker he helped Dr. Emil the faster they could leave.

"Clark, can we talk for a moment over here. I think there is something that you need to know."

"What is it, Doc?"

"It's about Chloe. I know that all she's been through must be taking its toll but I think there is something else going on with her. See there are signs here that I just can not ignore."

"Signs of what, Doc?" Clark asked but didn't really want to know the answer to it.

"This is difficult for me to tell you, but I think something horrible may have happened to her. I can not be one hundred percent sure but I have a strong suspicion that Davis Bloom or Doomsday raped her. There is evidence of a sexual intercourse and from that evidence, it didn't look consensual."

"What?" Clark closed his eyes in horror. He knew that something bad had happened to her. He just didn't want to believe that it was this bad. "Are you sure, Doc?" His voice cracked a bit. Sorrow and anger battled for supremacy.

"Clark, I know what a bed looks like after someone has sex. That piece of furniture," he pointed to the bed that Davis pinned Chloe down on, "was the only thing in this motel room to survive...even the other bed that was in this room was destroyed, but not that one. Not to mention the bodily secretions that are present on the bed. I sprayed luminal on the sheets and I saw the stains. However, what caused me to think it wasn't consensual is the fact that her clothing is completely shredded. I found her night gown stuffed into the trash can in the bathroom. That is one of the classic signs of rape. The rape victim wants to rid herself of any reminder of the incident, it's instinctual. I also found what I believe to be her underwear shredded and thrown under what is left of the chair over there. Then there's the front desk report of a young woman screaming, the fact that she was found running through the wood screaming for you, put all this together, Clark and it screams at the very least of some kind of assault. I am sure that you have seen some signs of it yourself. She's going to need help Clark. She's going to need to be checked out by a doctor to make sure that she's not injured."

"Doc, I'll be…I have to talk to her. God, what she…"Clark couldn't speak. The idea that she had survived that and continued on like nothing had happened made him realize that Chloe was a lot stronger than he had ever given her credit for. She was the true hero. She sacrificed willingly everything that she is…for him. She jokingly called him her own personal hero…when he never realized that she was his. "Chlo." His voice broke, tears pooled in his eyes. He turned from Doctor Emil and stumbled from the motel room. He too now felt sick to his stomach. He looked down at her. She still sat against the outside wall of the room, her eyes closed, pink back in her cheeks. He now understood why her eyes lately were always turbulent. "Chloe." He said as the first tear fell from his eyes, "why didn't you tell me what happened to you." He fell to his knees in front of her.

"I take it, that Doctor Emil figured out what happened and told you huh?" She said not even opening her eyes to look at him. "Just forget it, Clark. Just put it out of your mind. I can't deal with that drama right now. Not yet." She opened one eye to look at him. He was a sight to behold, kneeling before her, tears streaming from his eyes. "Don't." She said warningly to him as she opened her other eye and looked straight into his eyes. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me. I deserved what I got. I should have stayed with him and not have run away like the coward that I am. Those people in there would still be alive if it weren't for me. I deserved it, Clark." She said with venom in her voice, her self loathing apparent in her tone.

"Chloe, no one deserves to go through what you went through. Forget about saving that mother fucker, I am going to tear him to shreds when I find him." He stood up angry on her behalf, cursing as he had never done before.

She too stood up anger pouring from her every pore.

"You will do NO such thing, Clark Kent!" She yelled at him.

"But Chloe, he…he, I can't even say it, Chlo, he hurt you so badly."

"That's right Clark, me, he hurt me not you. ME! You do not get to extract revenge on him. That is not who you are." She poked him in the chest. She knew that he wouldn't feel it but it made her feel better. "You are better than that. You have to save the man from the beast Clark, because that is what a hero does. He doesn't go out to get revenge; he goes out and serves justice. Clark, don't you understand that if you hurt Davis…who had no control over his actions, you will cross that invisible boundary line and become that which you were sent here to fight against all because of what he did to me. I can't let that happen, Clark. I just can't. I have sacrificed so much to get you to be the hero that you are meant to become. You can not do that to me that would be worse than what Davis did." Clark bowed his head. He knew that it would be difficult to do what Chloe asked him not to do. He wanted to tear Davis to shreds. He wanted to rip that man's arms from his body and beat him bloody. But Chloe was right. He just couldn't do that to her.

"Ok, Chloe, for you. I will do this for you. But Davis will face judgment. After we separate him from Doomsday and we get rid of Doomsday, Davis is going to jail or at the very least he's going to go into Bel Reeve for what he did to you."

"Ok, Clark. Thank you." She hugged him tightly and he squeezed her back. Now almost everything that had been a mystery since her return has fallen into place for him. He realized that her skittish behavior, her telling the guys to stand behind Oliver no matter what, was all part of Chloe shutting down because of this trauma. Chloe let Oliver go because she didn't feel that she was worthy of him anymore. She let him speak to her the way he had because she was letting him go…letting him go so that he could move on because she felt she was damaged. She felt that was a coward who didn't deserve to associate with the team. That is why it was so easy for her to let go. She even tried to push him away. Clark squeezed her tighter. He was never going to let her go. Not now, not ever.

"Chlo, come on, let's get back to Isis and finish this."

"What about Doctor Emil? I thought that you were helping him gather samples?"

"You are more important. This place must be bringing back some pretty horrible memories. I can bring you back to Isis, where you can call that Bat guy from Gotham. I can come back here, help the Doc and then go and talk to Oliver."

"Oliver! Oh Clark." She looked up at him in panic. "You can not tell Oliver what happened with Davis. Promise me, Clark please."

"Don't you think that Ollie deserves to know about this, Chloe?"

"No. This happened to me, not to him, not to you, to me. I don't want anyone to know, Clark. I didn't even want you to know. If Oliver finds out, he's going to react similar to the way that you did. He's going to get angry and go out hunting Davis down, to what? To kill him because he ra…hurt me. Besides, the way Oliver is feeling towards me right now, I don't think he'll even care." Chloe closed her eyes hoping that she hid the hurt that saying that caused her.

"Chlo, I have a feeling that Oliver said some things that he wishes right now that he could take back. I am sure that if he found out about what Davis did to you, he'd do exactly what I want to do. But if you are going to make things work out between the two of you, you have to tell him. Without honesty the relationship will crumble. Have you not learned anything from my past relationships? Tell him, Chloe."

"Ok, I'll make you a deal. After we capture Davis and split him and if Oliver will ever speak to me again…then I will tell him, but not before. And this is my secret to tell, not yours. Promise me you won't tell."

"I promise, Chloe. Come on; let's get you back to Isis." Clark scooped her up into his arms and ran back to the Isis building. He carried her like she was the most precious of people into the building and put her in her office. "Chlo, I hate to leave you alone with that guy on the loose, but we each have things that need to be done. Lock this door and don't open it for anyone except for me. I will be back as quickly as I can." He leaned down and hugged her. He placed a gentle kiss on the side of her temple. "I love you Chloe, no matter what. You are my personal hero." He said to her and then he was gone a blur of red and blur left in his wake. Chloe wiped the tears from her eyes and locked the door. She had work to do. She walked into her inner sanctuary and pulled up Bruce's file. She dial the number she had for him and on the second ring a British voice answered the phone.

"Wayne residence." The crisp British voice said.

"Alfred, it's Chloe Sullivan. Is Bruce or Barbara around? I really need to speak to one of them."

"Oh miss Sullivan, so nice to hear your voice again. Master Bruce will be with you in one moment. Please hold." Chloe strummed her fingers on her console waiting for Bruce to answer the phone.

"Chloe!" He sounded thrilled to hear from her again. "How are you doing? How is that blond menace that you call boss doing?"

"Oh Bruce, Oliver is doing well, as am I, thank you for asking. However, this is not a social call, but a business call. I need a favor; well actually a friend of mine needs a favor." She decided quickly that it was in everyone's best interest if she just cut to the chase.

"Do tell? Why are you calling me and not calling Oliver?" His voice deepened a little as concern for his friend colored his voice.

"Well, I'm not calling Oliver because we have had a falling out of sorts. He's not really speaking to me at the moment."

"Really?"

"Yes, for now. I may be able to repair the damage later when there is more time. At the moment my friend, Clark, is the one who needs help. He and Oliver have had a falling out too. Unfortunately over me." She couldn't hide the sadness in her voice from him.

"Oh, this sounds interesting. I think you are going to have to tell me the whole story." He said, not hiding his curiosity at their situation.

"I have a better idea, how about I tell you the whole story when you get your black leather ass here?" She said jokingly to him all though he could still detect the lingering sadness in her voice. He decided to take it upon himself to cheer her up.

"HA! Always one for commands, your position on that team of Oliver's suits you. Hmm, I like that in a woman." He said as he tried to cheer her up over the phone. He figured that his charm would draw her out of her melancholy and could possibly get him to the bottom of what is going on quicker.

"Oh please, you only like me because I work for Oliver. If it weren't for Oliver's interest in me you would never have given me a second look."

"That's not true, Chloe, I will have you know that I am partial to blondes." Bruce flirted.

"Now I know why you and Oliver are considered playboys." He could almost see her rolling her eyes at him as she called him on his flirting, but he could also hear her smile through the phone.

"Really, now why is that?" He smiled, he always liked talking to Chloe; there was just something about the petite blond that really did intrigue him.

"It's because you both will flirt with anything in a skirt. Now are you coming or not?" He could tell that her impatience was getting the better of her and he smiled. He had her now, right where he wanted her.

"I'm already on my way. I should be there in little over an hour…that means that you have plenty of time to fill me in on the goings on in your life. Now start at the beginning."

"Geez, what happened to the dark mysterious man in black leather? Now you just sound like an old lady looking for gossip."

"This is recon. I need to know what I am getting myself into. Besides, Ollie's lucky that he has you in his life, but the moment he screws up, I want to be there to scoop you away. Even Barbara and Alfred like you." Chloe laughed and Bruce smiled. His mini mission to make her feel better was accomplished. They both knew that he really didn't mean what he was saying. Bruce was coming to Metropolis to help his friend out, not to steal his girl.

"Such a flatterer you are, Bruce." She said flirty to him.

"Is it working? Are you going to leave Ollie for me?"

"Sorry no, there is more holding me here in Metropolis than Oliver." She said sadly, actually it was only a few weeks ago that she had decided to leave Metropolis and move to Star City. She shook her head to clear her thoughts now was not the time to dwell on the past. Now was the time to work on a plan for the future. "Ok Bruce, let me get you up to speed. We have an hour to kill before you get here." And there she was, back to business in full Watchtower mode planning yet another mission.

"I'm all ears." And so Chloe began at the beginning, how Davis began to consume her life.

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Back at the Super 8 motel Doctor Emil was just finishing up collecting the samples he needed to run his diagnostics when Clark arrived again.

"How's Chloe doing?"

"She's focusing on capturing Doomsday and bringing Davis to justice. You were right, he did assault her. I am going to catch this bastard and he is going to pay for what he did to her. I am going to make sure that stays in prison for the rest of his life."

"Well, I think Chloe is doing the best thing she could possibly do for herself, other than getting the help that she needs. Did you take her to the hospital?"

"No, she didn't want to go, and I just couldn't force her. She'll know if something is wrong with her body and if she needs me, I can be back there in a split second. Is there anything else that I need to know?"

"I won't know anymore until I can get these samples back to my lab and run tests on them. I am not sure what else I am going to find out about Davis Bloome that I haven't already told you and Oliver. But I'll look anyway. Well, I think that's about it. I'm just going to pack up my gear and call Jones to tell him that we're done so that he can let the locals in. Clark, just make sure that Chloe is ok, it's not uncommon for woman who have experienced these kinds of traumas to develop post traumatic stress. Keep an eye on her. If she starts to have trouble sleeping or starts to zone out in the middle of doing something, those maybe signs that she's developing PTSD. She will need some help immediately."

"Thanks Doc. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those. Call me if you find anything new, ok."

"Sure thing, Clark. Take care." Doctor Emil turned and began to pack the evidence bags of samples away into his black kit. Clark turned and left. Once Clark was gone Doctor Emil got on his cell phone and called Oliver.

"Queen." Oliver answered a bit aggravated that he was being delayed in going over to Chloe's to apologize.

"Oliver, it's Emil. There's something that I think you need to know about." The doctor said cryptically over the phone. Oliver just didn't have a good feeling about whatever it was that Emil wanted to tell him.

"Okay." He said slowly, not sure if he really wanted to know what it was the doc was calling for.

"It's about Chloe Sullivan." He said into the cell phone as he held up the evidence bag with her torn night gown in it.

"What about Chloe?" He couldn't keep the concern for her out of his voice.

"I can't do this over the phone, Oliver. Can you meet me at my lab?" The urgency in his voice worried Oliver even more.

"Emil, is Chloe ok? What happened?"

"Oliver, calm down, as far as I can tell Chloe is just fine. But I believe that something terrible happened to her that you should be made aware of. I need to speak to you, but this is not a matter to be discussed over the phone. Can you please meet me at my lab? And if it is at all possible could you please bring Chloe with you. I believe it's vital that she seek medical treatment."

"Treatment, Emil? What the hell is going on?" His voice was laced with anxiety and fear.

"Oliver, please calm down, I won't know what really happened until I speak with Chloe, herself. Until then I have only suspicion and conjecture."

"Fine. I have an important appointment that I have to go to and then we will meet you at your lab. We should be there in an hour."

"I'll see you then."

Oliver no sooner hung up with Doctor Emil and the buzzer at the elevator buzzed. He was extremely surprised to see Clark standing in the elevator waiting to be allowed in.

"Jesus! NOW What!" Oliver said as he buzzed Clark up and walked out to the living area elevator to meet him. He really was in no mood to converse with the over protective Boy Scout. Time was ticking away and all he wanted to do was get to Chloe and apologize for the bastard that he had been to her earlier, but it seemed that fate had other plans for him.

Tbc…

**A/N: I wasn't sure about how long it would take Bruce to reach Metropolis from Gotham so I just made it an hour away. So, if Gotham is more than an hour away from Metropolis sorry for the mistake but for this fic it's only going to take Bruce an hour to get there.**

**Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)**

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	14. Chapter 14

Title: Penance 14/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: PG(for now)

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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"Clark." Oliver said coolly as he met Clark at the elevator door.

"Oliver. What's up with the suit? Why are you dressed as the Green Arrow in the middle of the day?" Clark said surprised by Oliver's outfit.

"Ummm, yeah, it's because I was just on my way to Isis to talk to you and to Chloe."

"Chloe and me? Don't you think that you've said enough to her today? You've hurt her Oliver, whatever you said compounded the pain that she is in. What else could you possibly add to what you've already said?"

"How about I'm sorry, Clark? How about telling her how much I love her and want her to forgive me for my behavior earlier? How about admitting that I was an ass?" Oliver looked crestfallen.

"Clark, I love her. I love her so much that to think that she left me for him tears me in two. Have you ever loved someone with all that you were? I need her Clark, like I need water to drink and air to breath. This pain is totally unbearable. You have NO idea how sorry I am for my behavior towards her and towards you. I am sorry Clark for acting like that towards you. I took my rage out on the wrong people. Please forgive me… but if you don't I will understand. I was a complete and total ass." Oliver bent his head in shame at his behavior towards his friend and he just prayed that Clark would accept his apology and he would allow him to go to Chloe. When Clark didn't say anything, Oliver looked up fully expecting him to not be standing there and was wholly surprised to see him standing where he had been grinning like an idiot.

"What?" Oliver said perplexed as Clark began to chuckle and walked over and put his hand on Oliver's right shoulder.

"Well, it seems to me that you and Chloe are on the exact same frequency. She gave me hell today for threatening you and made me come over here to apologize even though I thought that you should be the one to do the apologizing. I am glad I listened to her. She said that in order to destroy the beast that we were going to have to work as a team. However, I want you to understand something, and it's very important that you do." Oliver shook his head silently waiting for Clark to continue.

"No matter what happens between Chloe and you, she is my closest and dearest friend. And I will always, ALWAYS stand by her. I love her, Ollie. Not the way you do, but I love her deeply. Her happiness is very important to me and I do not like seeing her in the pain that she is in.

"I want you to understand that she has already suffered enough for this mistake in judgment. She has suffered more than you know or could possibly understand. She is a strong, capable woman who has suffered a tragedy that would bring most people to their knees, yet she continued on. Oliver, she deserves happiness and I am here to ensure that she gets it. I need you to understand this…what I am trying to say without me actually saying what happen to her at the hands of that monster. You NEED to understand that she did not leave for lack of loving you. She left you…me…the team because she thought that it was the only way to save us from getting hurt. She sacrificed herself and almost her soul to save us.

"What you said, and how you behaved was a grievous error in judgment on your part. She is the most remarkable woman that you will ever met in you life and you have to atone for your treatment of her earlier today. After all she has suffered, she deserves to be treated a lot better than you have treated her today. Promise me, that no matter what you may learn, that you will place her happiness above all else. I will step aside, Ollie, as long as I have your word. I will not get in your way because your happiness as well as her happiness means a great deal to me." Oliver was completely taken aback by the frankness of Clark's speech. He was totally unprepared for the other man's acquiescence to his desire to see Chloe.

"Clark, you have my word. I will make Chloe happy if she will take me back. Her happiness will be my top priority. I will NEVER treat her the way I treated her today again. I swear on all that I am, I will never hurt her that badly again." The truth of his words was reflected in his brown eyes. But Clark still felt that he had to do the 'big brother' thing. He was not nearly finished with Oliver yet.

"Ollie, understand this too, I am and always shall be her best friend but I am not the man that she loves and adores. So, if you can accept Chloe for who she is unconditionally I will take you to her myself. But be warned, Ollie, she has had enough heart break and pain in her life to last two life times. She NEVER loved Davis Bloome. What she did and what she survived was all for us, for you, for me, for the team." Clark finished his speech with tears welling in his eyes for Chloe.

"Out of us all, Ollie," Clark's voice broke a little and he cleared his throat, "she is the true hero. You need to realize that. She put her heart, soul, and life on the line for us and you treated her no better than the enemy because you were hurt...you were betrayed. You need to realize that the pain she is suffering is about her. You need to step out of yourself, step up and be the hero that SHE thinks you are and save HER this time. Ollie," Clark's breath hitched in his throat and he tried to contain his emotions, "Something happened to her, Oliver. I can't believe that I've allowed something like this to happen to her and it's not even over yet. She's hurting badly and you are the ONLY one who can help her through this. It's bad, horrible what she went through…" Clark had to stop speaking. His eyes conveyed to Oliver the sorrow that he was feeling for what was done to Chloe.

"Clark, just tell me what happened to her." Oliver demanded as fear clenched his heart. The most horrendous of images began to flash across his brain caused by Clark's distress.

"I can't Ollie. It's not my secret to tell. I promised Chloe that I wouldn't tell you what happened. She's afraid of what you may do if you find out. See, she's always thinking about others over herself."

"Clark, I got a call from Emil today about bringing Chloe in to see him. He said that she may have to have some kind of treatment. What did that monster do? Clark, you have to tell me!" Oliver grabbed his friend's shoulders not caring that if Clark wanted to; he could be batted away like an annoying pest.

"I'm sorry, Ollie, I can't tell you. I promised Chloe and I won't break my promise to her." He looked Oliver right in the eyes and shook his head. This was as far as he would go. What happened to Chloe would not pass his lips, but his eyes were a different story. He willed the truth to Oliver through his eyes. He stared hard at Oliver, his blue eyes cobalt bared into Oliver's chocolate eyes, willing him to understand what he was not telling him…willing him to guess, to put together the sequence of events himself.

"Clark, you have no idea the vile images running through my head. I am standing here imagining the worst that could have happened to her. You NEED to tell me!" Oliver screamed at Clark as his grip on Clark's shoulders tightened and he gave a shake to Clark.

"Oliver," Clark started all too calmly, "all I can tell you is that what you are imaging is probably only a fraction of what he has done to her."

"Oh my God." Oliver said in dismay, "I need to sit down." He said as he collapsed into a chair. "I think I am going to be sick." He lowered his head to his knees and breathed in deeply. Clark moved to stand near Oliver.

"I felt the same way, Ollie," Clark placed a hand onto his friend's shoulder in companionship, "sick to my stomach to imagine what she suffered and so angry…angry enough to want to rip Davis Bloome into pieces. But that is not what Chloe wants. She wants to save the man from the beast. After all that she suffered at his hands she still wants to save the man." Clark said still in amazement of his friend.

"How, Clark, how could she still want that!? After what he did to her, how could she want to still help him?" Oliver looked up at Clark still trying to get his stomach under control. Chloe, his beautiful, brilliant, feisty, watchtower had been hurt and he berated her, humiliated her, because he was acting like a selfish prick.

"Because Ollie," Clark watched the play of emotions on his face, "she is a true hero. She wants justice NOT revenge."

"Justice?" Oliver questioned with anger lacing his words. "How is saving Davis from the beast justice, Clark?"

"Sometimes justice is not about making the easy decisions, Oliver. Sometimes it's about finding that last bit of good in someone and saving them from themselves. Chloe taught me that." Clark spoke to his friend sharing his newly found wisdom with Oliver.

Oliver looked up at his friend knowing in his heart that the words that Clark spoke were true and right. The hero inside of him re-emerged from the darkness.

"You're right. She's right. However, in my heart I still want to destroy him." Oliver said menacingly.

"Yeah, I understand that but for her sake we can't. So, Ollie, we need to come up with a plan to help us satisfy all of us. We need to gather the team. Chloe and I have come up with an idea that we should run it by everyone."

"Chloe? Oh my God, Clark, where is she?" Panic seized Oliver.

"She's at Isis, why?" Clark said confused.

"Clark! You left her alone, unprotected. He's still out there…still obsessed with her!"

"Ollie, she's fine, calm down. She's safe. I can get back in a flash should she need me."

"No, I am going over there. You gather the team and I will bring her back here where we all can protect her should he come for her. Besides, I have an apology to deliver and I would prefer to deliver it without an audience. Contact the guys; they headed over to Vic's place to gather the latest recon he got. They should be back soon it's not too far away. I'm going to head over to Isis. Get them here. Get Vic online, I will have my ear piece in." Oliver said as he stood up in full Green Arrow mode. He headed for the lift that would take him to his motorcycle as Clark pulled out his phone. Just as Oliver entered his elevator, the guys buzzed to be let in saving Clark precious time of getting them here. Clark buzzed them up as Ollie's lift door closed.

"Ollie, wait…" Clark call but didn't catch him in time. He wanted to tell Ollie about Chloe calling in reinforcements in the form of a guy who dressed as a 6 foot bat. "Oh well, he'll have to find out from Chlo." He muttered to himself as he turned to the guys.

"Dude!!! What are you doing here? I thought that after what happened earlier today that you and Chloe wouldn't be stepping foot in Ollie's apartment for quite sometime." Ac said as he slapped Clark on the back.

"Yeah well, Chloe wasn't too thrilled with how I behaved with Ollie and she sent me here to apologize…turns out that Ollie was on his way to apologize to us. Needless to say we've worked out our differences and he's now on his way to bring Chloe back here."

"Sweet! I knew everything would work out in the end." Bart said.

"Right Bro, that's why you were crying the whole time we were at Vic's place."

"I wasn't crying," Bart looked at his friends indignantly, "I just had something in my eye."

"Right, and what was the whining about?" Vic said with a chuckle.

"Ok, ok guys…we need to get down to business…enough fooling around." Clark broke into their conversation before it got too out of hand. "We have to go over an idea that Chloe and I came up with. I need to head to the farm for a few minutes to get something from the barn. I'll be back in a few minutes. Cyborg, get online Arrow has his comm. He will be bringing Chloe back here. Davis is still out there and he thinks that she may be in danger." Clark said as he walked away towards the lift door.

"Hey Clark," Vic called to him just as he was about to get into the lift.

"Yeah Vic?"

"Just wanted to say that it's good to have you back." Vic waved to Clark.

"Thanks Vic." Clark waved back as the door to the lift closed.

"Hey Arrow, Cyborg online. Over." Vic said into the microphone.

"Hey Cyborg, Arrow here on route. ETA 3 minutes. Over."

"Boy Scout just left…he needed to retrieve something, it'll be a few minutes before he returns. Over."

"Ok, let me know when he returns. Arriving at destination. Going silent. Out."

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Chloe sat at her desk typing away. She was expecting Clark back any moment. She had just hung up the phone with Bruce, he was almost to Metropolis. Oliver was definitely going to be surprised to see him. He couldn't get any angrier with her than he already was. She just hoped that eventually he would forgive her. She giggled as she thought about the look on Oliver's face when Bruce showed up at his apartment. As she giggled she heard the door to her office open. Believing that it was Clark because he was the only other person with a key to the door, she didn't even turn around to speak to him.

"What did Oliver have to say" she said thinking that Clark had come back when she turned around from her desktop computer, she spotted Davis standing in the doorway, pale and shaking. She immediately jumped from her chair from behind her mahogany desk and placed both the chair and the desk between Davis and her. She remembered what had happened the last time they were alone together and she didn't want a repeat performance.

"I know what you've done." She said to him in disgust. She didn't even want to be in the same room as him. "They were children Davis; you killed them and that man and woman, they were just trying to help me. Davis get out of here! Clark will be back at any moment and you can't be here. I'll be damned if I am going to let you be the reason that Clark can't be the hero that he is destined to be."

"Chloe! Please listen. Those kids attacked me. I was defending myself. The man and woman were just casualties of the beast inside of me. The beast, Chloe, since you've left; I can't control it." He took a step towards her but she held her ground behind her desk. He may have had power over her the other night but she would NOT let him ever have that power back. She was not as fragile as most people thought and she was a lot stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

"And so, what about all the others, Davis, are you going to stand there and try to justify killing them too? You couldn't control it when I was with you either, remember Davis! I do. I CAN'T STOP REMEMBERING WHAT YOU DID TO ME! At random times through out the day I am reminded of what you did to me. Looking at you makes me sick! BUT, I will NOT let you destroy Clark. I WILL find away to destroy that beast inside of you. YOU will answer for what you have done…to me, to all of the people that you have killed, maimed, or scared for life. My life is one in a long line of thousands that you will have to pay the penalty for. I want justice for what you did to me." She said as she turned and ran from him towards the hallway. She pulled boxes of files from the filing cabinets to aid in her escape from him, but he was too fast for her.

"Chloe! I didn't know what else to do. Where else to go? Only you can calm this beast." He said as he caught her just before she made it to the door that lead to the stairs. Grabbing her by the arm he swung her around to face him as though she were nothing but a rag doll. His vice like grip didn't lessen as he grabbed her other arm holding her face to face with him, her feet dangled off the floor. He was desperate; he couldn't do this without her. She was the answer. He had tried to let her go once before but he wasn't successful.

Chloe was beginning to panic. She could feel the helplessness rise with her panic as she struggled against his grip. She fought against him, she kicked at him, and she tried to pull her arms from his grip. Tears began to form in her eyes. Her fear and anger mingled with her self revulsion and shame. He was going to do to her what he had done the other night and once again she was going to be too weak to stop him…too powerless.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" She screamed as she struggled against his grip on her, "YOU HURT ME! YOU RAPED ME!" She wrenched herself from his grip tearing her sleeve from her blouse and fell to the floor; with all the dignity that she could muster she raised herself to stand before him. She wanted answers. She tried to help him and what did she get in return for her help…she got pain and humiliation, her life torn apart, her heart shattered; she lost the one man that she loved so it was through gritted teeth that she asked, "Why are you here, Davis? What more could you possibly want from me?"

When he realized that for the moment she was not going to run from him that she wanted…needed answers that only he had; he brought his arms down to his sides and then crossed them in front of his chest. He insanely rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet obviously trying to gather his thoughts before he answered her, hoping beyond hope that she would believe what he was about to say and forgive him.

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I am so sorry for what I did to you the other night. Please forgive me. Please come back to me." She looked at him as though the monster had sprung forth from his head.

"Sorry?" She blinked repeatedly forcing the tears to retreat, "Forgive you? Are you serious, Davis? Do you honestly believe for one second that I could possibly forgive what you have done to me? I can't believe that you have the balls to stand here before me and ask me that. What you did to me was unforgivable…UNFORGIVABLE DAVIS!!!!"

"I'M SORRY!" He screamed at her as he ran his fingers through his hair, obviously trying to calm himself but it had no effect. "I HAD NO CONTROL OF MY ACTIONS THE OTHER NIGHT! CHLOE, PLEASE! I AM SORRY!"

"Sorry? SORRY! You think by just saying that you are sorry is going to wipe what you did to me from my memory and I am just going to forgive you for it! You are seriously delusional, Davis." She backed away from him, but not quickly enough because he grabbed her arms again and dragged her to him, "LET ME GO! HELP!!! LET ME GO!!!!!" She screamed as she struggled to get away from him.

"Chloe, will you just listen to me?" He gave her a little shake to get her to stop yelling. "I love you! And I need you, please come with me." He rasped out.

"NO! HELP PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Davis took a deep breath to quell the hurt that rose in his chest at her words. The beast roared to life and began its torturous clawing under his skin. The red of the monster began to bleed into his eyes.

"Chloe, I need you to do this for me. I need you to come with me so that no one else gets hurt. You are the one who keeps the beast at bay. I need," he pressed on as tears welled in his eyes, "for you to help me." He said as he pulled her closer to him, his chest meshed with hers, his dark eyes streaked with red pierced her with their intensity. Chloe was shocked, she stilled her struggles…she couldn't believe that he had just asked that of her.

"I won't do anything for you." She said through her clenched jaw. She broke free of his grasp and ran through the door. She heard Davis scream in pain, but she continued down the stairs, freedom from the beast within her reach. She could hear Davis or possibly the beast destroying her Isis office, but that was better than him destroying her soul or damaging it more than he had already. She knew that whatever it was between Davis and her, it was far from over but for now, at least for now, she was safe from him. She burst through the doors of the building and ran full force into the body of a man who was dress in green leather. She looked up from the green leather clad chest into the yellow lenses of Green Arrow's glasses.

"Oliver!" She whispered urgently before she fainted into his arms.

Oliver caught Chloe easily. He swooped her into his arms and carried her to his bike that he parked on the side of the building. He took note of the torn clothes that she was wearing as well as the bruises old and new that were on her pale arms and around her wrists. What did Davis do to her this time? He wondered but his musings were interrupted by a roar that came from the building from what he assumed was Chloe's Isis office. The roar was unlike anything he had ever heard before; what he would later only describe that it had sounded like an animal in pain.

"Cyborg, Arrow here. We have a problem. I have retrieved Watchtower but she is unconscious at the moment. Requesting transport. Over."

"Arrow. Impulse ETA…"

"Now." Bart said as he materialized in front of Oliver. "Dude, what happen to her? And Whoa, what's that noise?"

"Not now, Impulse, just take her back to HQ. The plan's changed. Cyborg, get in touch with Boy Scout. Tell him of the situation and that Tower is at HQ. I am going to investigate what's happening in the Isis office. Contact me once you get in touch with Boy Scout . Over."

"Arrow, you sure going to investigate alone is the wisest thing to do right now? Maybe you should wait to talk to Tower before you go and do something dumb. Over."

"Awww Tinman, I'm hurt." Oliver said as he made his way up the stairs to the Isis office. He could hear Davis in the room smashing things around. "Don't you have any confidence in me, man? I've been doing this kind of thing for a while now. I think I can handle it. Besides I need to see what this thing looks like. Over." He had reached Isis's office doors and he could hear Davis rummaging through things on the other side.

"Arrow, maybe…" Victor tried again but Oliver interrupted him.

"Going on silent running. OUT." He whispered as he pushed the door open just far enough for him to glance inside. The office was trashed. Chloe's desk, which had been a present from him, was smashed into splinters, files and boxes were flung everywhere, her computer lay in a heap of sparking wires in the corner. Oliver entered the office slowly well aware of his surroundings and slightly apprehensive about this idea of his. Maybe he should have listened to Cyborg…but it was too late now. He had already entered the lion's den and was about to face a very pissed off beast from what he saw here.

He heard the beast rather than saw him. From behind Oliver he could hear the ragged breaths of something. Slowly Oliver turned around; as he did he pressed the record button on the side of his glasses, he was going to get as much footage of this beast as he could get. From the side of the door that Oliver had just walked through there stood the beast that has caused all the problems in his life…Doomsday, his red eyes latched onto Oliver. And for the first time in a very long time, Oliver felt fear as he watched the monster slowly stalk his way towards him. He observed the beast cut his exit off with deliberate movements.

"Son of a bitch." Oliver muttered to himself and quickly surveyed the room for an escape and moved towards the back wall of the office. "Man, you are one ugly bastard." He taunted Doomsday hoping that he could distract the beast long enough to safely make his escape. Oliver realized once he had a good look at the beast that he was not at all equipped to deal with him at the moment. "How do you move with all those…what would you call those things sticking out of you? Horns? Bone spurs? What man? And why are you gray?" Oliver could see that he had caught Doomsdays attention as if the beast understood what he was saying. "You're not so bad, ya know. I wouldn't want to see you coming out of a dark ally but I have seen scarier monsters in horror movies! Freddie? Jason? Mike Myers, now they are some scary dudes." Doomsday came to a stop and just cocked his head to the side but never took his eyes from his prey as Oliver maneuvered his way towards the window. He knew that there was a fire escape out that window and he also knew that it was his only way out of the office since Doomsday blocked the door with his bulky body. It seemed that his talking distracted the beast just enough that maybe his escape was possible. Oliver very slowly grabbed his cross bow and began to aim it at the beast. When Doomsday saw the crossbow he let out a mighty roar and snarled at Oliver as if to say… 'What are you going to do with that?'

Oliver smirked and in one swift movement shot Doomsday in the shoulder hoping that it would slow the beast down long enough for him to make it out the window, but his arrow just bounce off what could only be his skin. Doomsday broke eye contact with Oliver and looked down at his shoulder giving Oliver the opportunity that he was hoping for regardless. He dashed, not sure how fast the beast could move, for the window that was not even inches away. Once he was outside on the fire escape Oliver looked through the window and saw that Doomsday just stood there sniffing the air like a dog trying to get a scent. Oliver decided to take this opportunity to try shooting Doomsday again. He quickly loaded his cross bow and shot another arrow this time he aimed at Doomsday's solar plexus. Doomsday swung his large head in Oliver's direction and snarled. Oliver waved bye to him and in rapid fire shot another arrow at Doomsday's trachea and then one to his face hoping that at least one of his arrow left a scratch. Seeing that the other arrows did the same thing that the first one did, they just bounced off of him; Oliver decided that it was time to go. He shot an arrow with a cable attached to the adjacent building and swung down to the adjacent building's fire escape where he swiftly descended the ladder and ran to his waiting bike.

"Cyborg. Arrow here. We may have a problem. Over"

"'Bout time Arrow, I think we have more than one problem; you need to get back to HQ ASAP. We have a visitor. Over."

"You've got to be kidding me. Who's there? Over."

"Let's just say someone who likes the color black. Over."

"I'm on my way. ETA 5 minutes. OUT." Oliver shook his head. She had called _him_, Oliver just knew it. She just had to get _him_ involved. He, the Green Arrow, had everything under control, but no, she had to go and call _him_. Great, this really wasn't what he needed. Fucking Bruce just couldn't resist the opportunity to one up him or to rub his nose in the fact that he had been called in to help with this situation.

TBC…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	15. Chapter 15

Fic: Chloe/Oliver – Penance 15/?

Title: Penance 15/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: R **(Warning!!! Rape scene)**

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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The ride back to his penthouse seemed to take forever. Oliver wasn't sure if he were driving more slowly or if he just didn't want to go back as quickly as he had wanted to reach Chloe. He knew that Bruce was there, waiting patiently for his return. Why did she have to call him? Why? He loved Bruce as if they were brothers; both growing up orphans had cemented their bond of friendship beyond that of other friendships that they had made at Excelsior. Bruce had taken Oliver under is 'wing,' so to speak, seeing that he was a year ahead of Oliver. Bruce had been Oliver's go to person when he need advice on anything from women to cars. He was also the only other person at the time to completely understand where Oliver was coming from most of the time. But like most brothers do, they drifted apart and found other interests. But still they remained competitive in a lovingly brotherly way, but each knew that at the drop of a dime the other would be there for him should he be needed. Well, it was obvious by what Chloe had told Bruce on the phone that Oliver was in need of Bruce, but Oliver definitely didn't want to admit it. There seemed to be a lot of things that Oliver hadn't wanted to admit.

As Oliver pulled his bike into the underground garage he heaved a heavy sigh. This was it, he thought. He had wanted to prove to Bruce that he could take care of himself but once again he was going to be seen as a failure and have his oldest friend rescue him. He was dreading seeing Bruce like this. But there really wasn't anything that could be done. He was already here and waiting.

Oliver pushed the button calling the lift to him. He had briefly debated with himself on taking the secret lift that opened to his study but he decided against that. He was a hero; he would not cower before Bruce Wayne/Batman. He was Oliver Queen/Green Arrow hero of not only one major city but two…Ha take that, Oliver thought and chuckled as he entered the lift. Childish he knew but none the less he still entered his penthouse with a smirk on his face. As the lift door open and he walked into the apartment he was greeted with the loud boisterous chaos that was the JLA. Bart and AC battled on the television screen while Bruce and Victor were having a very animated discussion.

"DUDE! What are you doing? YOU CAN NOT SHOOT ME! I AM ON YOUR TEAM, Dingbat!" AC yelled at Bart as yet another life was lost to him.

"Well, stop getting in front of my gun, Fishstick! It's not my fault you can't control your guy!" Bart yelled back neither taking his eye away from the sceen.

"You mean to tell me that you can just plug yourself directly into any computer and hack into it within 5 seconds? Impossible. I have computers over at Wayne Enterprises that you couldn't possible hack into…they would fry your circuits." Bruce said to Vic.

"Sorry there, Brother, but I'd put money on Cyborg's hacking skills over your sorry excuse for security any day." Oliver said as he entered the room. Victor smugly looked over at Bruce who sat frowning for a moment before an unnerving smile emerged upon his face.

"Bruce." Oliver said in greeting as he too had noticed the unnerving smile on Bruce's face.

"Ollie." Bruce answered back his smile changing over to a definite smirk. "I see you are still parading around in that green leather Robin Hood costume of yours." All noise in the room stopped. The guys waited on the edge of their seats. Anyone who knew Ollie knew NEVER to rag on his uniform.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm not running around in a Halloween costume as a 6ft bat. Seriously, Brother, don't you think that you're a bit old to be playing dress up and running about town scaring little children?"

"HA! I'll have you know that not only do the kids LOVE my getup but so do the ladies!" Bruce stood from his chair and met Oliver half into the room. They stared at each other before bursting out into loud gut laughs and hugged each other tightly each pounding the other on the back. "Same old quick witted Ollie!"

"Yeah, and same old…well, old Bruce." Oliver's earlier apprehension at seeing his oldest and dearest friend melted away the moment he actually saw Bruce, his adopted older brother.

"I am only a year older than you are, Brother!"

"Yeah, but still a year older." Oliver smirked.

Bruce threw his arm over Oliver's shoulder as the walked into the living room. Both Bruce and Oliver noticed that Victor had walked over to AC and Bart deciding to help referee their game.

"Quite the family you have built for yourself here, Brother." Oliver smiled over at the guys with pride. Yes, they were his family. "However, there seems to be an important part of your family missing. Our mutual petite blond friend who is resting comfortably in your bed has been telling me quite the interesting tale. Care to share your side, Ollie?"

"Ahh, so that's why you're here." Oliver looked over at Bruce suspiciously, "I figured that she had called you. Mind if I change out of my uniform first?"

"But of course, then you and I can have a beer and you can fill me in on all that has been happening in your life since last we spoke, because clearly I am missing something. Last time I talked to you, you were going to finally tell her how you felt. Now I wonder if you have or not."

"Well, I told her, and I showed her exactly how I felt, but we hit a pot hole in the road named Davis Bloom. He completely threw a monkey wrench into the whole machine, and let's just say that the clean up hasn't been all too pretty, mostly on my end but I plan to rectify that soon." Oliver said as he headed to the door of his room.

"Ollie," Bruce called out to him before he made it to his bedroom door, "Bart put Chloe in your room. She looks horrible, don't wake her ok, she needs to rest."

"You know, Bruce, I can walk around quietly sometimes." He headed into his room, changed, walked over to check on her to find her still out. Bruce was right, now that he had a chance to look at her, she didn't look at all well. She had dark blue circles under her eyes, bruises littered her arms, and her face was way too gaunt and pale. She just looked so tiny and fragile sleeping in his bed. Looking at her like this just made him feel more the heel for the way he treated her.

"God Chloe, if you only knew how sorry I am." He whispered to her softly and he carefully caressed her cheek before he left the room leaving her there resting. He quietly closed the door to his room and walked into the kitchen and grabbed two beers. He walked back over to the table and handed one to Bruce and he opened the other for himself as he took a seat across from Bruce.

"Ya'know Bruce, you seem a bit too happy at being here in Metropolis. What's that all about? Things going a little slow in Gotham?" Oliver asked as he took a sip of his beer.

"Nah, It's just as crime filled as Metropolis or Star City. But that's not really why I'm here. Chloe called me. She said that the two of you had some sort of falling out and that you weren't speaking to her at the moment. She said that her friend Clark, who also happens to be a friend of yours, needs help with dealing with this so called beast she called Doomsday. She said that you and this Clark guy also had a falling out and that they couldn't count on your help. They needed something stolen from none other than Tess Mercer. Can you believe it? Mercy is the head of the Daily Planet and working for Lex Fucking Luthor? Damn." Bruce shook his head in disbelief. He remembered Tess from years ago when Oliver was dating her. They were never right together, not like he and Chloe.

"So spill, Brother, what's going on. From what Chloe's been telling me, it seems to me that you are going to need all the help you can get with dealing with this beast that's been plaguing the city. Why haven't you called me to help sooner? And what exactly is going on between you and Chloe?"

"I just thought that we could handle it on our own, Bruce. I didn't want to have to call you in unless it was absolutely necessary. I didn't want to seem like I couldn't handle it, ya'know. As for Chloe, I was a fucking prick to her. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd never forgive me. I've fucked up big time, Bruce, with Chloe, with Doomsday. I'm just at that point where I don't know what to do anymore."

"Fucked up how, Ollie?" Bruce asked as he took a swig of the beer.

"Royally, as only a Queen could fuck up. Damn it, Brother, I just may have lost the one and only bright spot in my miserable excuse for a life. I said a lot of horrible things to her today. I behaved so badly towards her." Oliver hung his head in shame. "I thought that she had betrayed me. That she had left me for that monster. I had myself convinced that she played me for the fool, for Davis. I was an idiot."

"Oliver," Bruce said and waited to speak until Oliver looked up and he looked the younger man in the eye, "That is the most asinine thing that you have ever done. Even I saw how much she loves you just from that last meeting that we had. What on Earth were you thinking?"

"That's just it, Bruce, I wasn't thinking. I let my hurt and anger control me."

"Oliver, Oliver, what have I told you about your emotions."

"Yeah, yeah, if I don't learn how to control my emotions they will destroy me. I am just not like that, Bruce. I'm a very emotional person. I'm not like you. I don't have that switch that you do. I can't just turn my feelings on and off. I can't be happy go lucky one minute and then nothing the next."

"It takes years of training, Brother, years of practice. Even I can't control my emotions all the time. Even I let my emotions rule my judgment once in a while. But you need to learn better control. Emotions, feelings, that's what sets us aside from the animals. We feel, we love, we hate, we regret. Emotions make us human, however; we also need to control them a bit. We can not be ruled just by our emotions because the other thing that sets us apart from the animals is out intellect. We use our brains in conjunction with our emotions."

"I know, Bruce, I know. But sometimes my emotions just get the better of me. It's a double edged sword with me. I hope that the damage I've done to my relationship with Chloe is repairable. But maybe it's just better for the both of us if I just let her go and let her move on with her life without me in it."

"Listen Ollie, the love that you and Chloe seem to share is a love that most of us desire but never get. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes you reach for more, that plants a fire in your heart and brings peace to your mind. That kind of love, the kind of love that you and Chloe share is a gift, Brother. It's a gift to be treasured and protected not discarded at the first sign of trouble like you did. Learn from this mistake and never make it again. Chloe is a special woman, Brother; she is the type of woman that we all dream about and you are the luckiest son of a bitch in the world because you have her. And you'd be a fool if you didn't even try to salvage this relationship and just let her go. Ollie, I wouldn't have thought less of you if you had called me in to help with this Doomsday problem, however; if you just let Chloe slip through your fingers then my opinion of you will be considerably less than it ever has been. She's important, Ollie…" Bruce never got to finish what he was saying because at that moment a blood curdling scream erupted from Oliver's room from none other than the person they were just discussing. Oliver was up and had the door opened before anyone had even realized it was Chloe. However, once the guys all realized that it was Chloe screaming they too all rushed into Oliver's room. What they saw before them broke all their hearts. Screaming and wrestling in the bed with an invisible tormentor was their Watchtower. Oliver rushed over to the bed and grasped her shoulders; unknowingly he began to play the villain of her nightmare by holding her down.

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Chloe turned over onto her side when she heard the door open. She was barely awake. As she began to once again drift off to sleep she felt him come over to her. As if from far away she heard his voice, "God Chloe, if you only knew how sorry I am." She wasn't sure if it had been a dream or if it were real. But she slumbered on and the nightmare crept into her mind. Fear clenched her heart as her nightmare began to take hold of her mind. She was back in the motel, in the shower trying to drown out the incessant pounding on the door. Then she was standing before him and the scene played out in her mind.

"_Stop Chloe, don't say any more." Davis whispered, "Please don't pull away from me." He pulled her roughly into his arms causing her to drop the rose and put both of her hands on his chest, "without you, the man I want to be doesn't exist." He said as his arms tightened around her and he leaned his head in closer to kiss her. When she moved to pull her head away from his descending lips he brutishly grabbed the back of her head and forced her lips to his. He captured her unwilling lips in a bruising painful kiss. He pushed her savagely against the closed bathroom door, not caring that the doorknob was painfully digging into her back._

"_Davis." Chloe struggled to remove her lips from his. "NO! DAVIS!" she desperately tried to get his attention. "DAVIS! Please! NO! Please don't do this!" Her voice was muffled as his lips continued to assault hers in a frenzy of possession. His hands adeptly avoided her hands as they tried to defend against his assault and roamed ruthlessly over her body …touching her in places that she didn't want him to touch. Viciously he ripped the bodice of her nightgown exposing her breasts to him._

"_Davis, NO PLEASE! Not like this, DAVIS! PLEASE GOD! NO!" She begged him, her voice rose as she struggled against him, but he was too strong. He held her in place. She tried to push him away, she frantically pushed and pounded his chest, but he didn't move. It was almost like he didn't even feel her pushing at him. He just grabbed her hands and with one hand he held both of her hands securely over her head against the door as he lowered his lips to her neck where he began to suck and bite her collar bone. His other hand roamed aggressively over her breasts and down to her hips._

"_Your mine, Chloe." He growled into her ear. "I'm through waiting for you to come to me. I'm going to take you here and now and make you mine forever. No more waiting." He gripped her hard by her hip pulling her closer so that she could feel the erection that he had. She began to struggle violently against him. _

"_Davis, NO! Davis this is not the way. Please Davis. DON'T!" She cried as he picked her up and put her onto his bed. She tried to get away from him before he got onto the bed but he just grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. "Please Davis no." The red bled into his eyes as she witnessed the beast within him take over._

_Chloe felt him shift his weight and realized too late what he was doing. _

_  
"Davis, please stop. Please don't do this. Let me UP DAVIS! I DON'T WANT THIS!" She begged him. His eyes blood red piercing her with their malice. She felt the fear building within herself. She could hear herself screaming as he grabbed her…as he touched her…as he violated her. "NO!" She screamed. "NO! PLEASE STOP! NO DAVIS NO! PLEASE GOD HELP ME!" She could feel him hold her down on the bed as she struggled against him. His fingers dug into her shoulders. His body holding her down as she tried in vain to kick him away. "PLEASE STOP! PLEASE Davis no."_

"_CHLOE!" he shouted causing her to finally look at him in surprise and when she did he plunged into her so hard she cried out in pain. She turned her head, squeezed her eyes closed, and let her mind take her away from what was happening to her. Tears streamed from her tightly clenched lashes as shame coursed through her body with each thrust and grunt he uttered. 'How did she let this happen? How did everything go so wrong? Oliver…' She screamed in her mind as tears escaped her lashes._ She whimpered, her loud screams quieted to wounded whimpers.

"Chloe!" she heard her name being called. "Chloe, please wake up! Open your eyes, Sidekick. Open your eyes. You're safe. It's just a dream. Open your eyes and look at me. Chloe, look at me. It's Oliver. Look at me." He begged her. Her screams from her nightmare confirmed what he had suspected when he spoke with Clark earlier. His voice grew raspy with sorrow, with anger, with very emotion that a person could feel. His eyes burned with unshed tears. He just wanted to take away all this pain that she was suffering. He wanted to heal her as she had healed him. He wanted to hold her and keep her safe. "Chloe," he whispered as he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her on to his lap. He buried his face into the nap of her neck and wept with the grief of a man who has known too much loss in his lifetime. The others had long since left the room knowing that it was the monster in her dreams that was assailing her not the real monster. The guys all felt that Chloe and Oliver needed to be left alone.

Chloe opened her eyes. She felt warm and safe. And she realized that the reason she felt safe was because she was once again in the arms of the man she loved.

"If I'm dreaming don't wake me up, ok." She said softly getting Oliver's attention. She could feel the sobs rack his body and she wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back soothingly she cooed to him the way a mother would coo to a hurt child.

"Shhh, Oliver it's alright. Shhh, it's alright."

"It's not alright, Chloe. It's not." He looked at her, his eyes angry, his tears still wet on his face. "You're not ok. I know what happened. I know what he did to you. I know and I want to kill that bastard. I want to rip him to pieces. And then I remembered what I did to you. God, Chloe, I" his speech left him, his tears started to flow again anger turned to sorrow, "I'm an ass of the grandest proportions! I'm sorry, I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. I am so sorry." He sobbed. Tears slipped from Chloe's eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could he really be here apologizing to her? Is this a dream?

"Oliver, shhh, Oliver. I am ok, so long as we are ok, I am ok. So long as I have you here with me, I am ok. I will be ok. I have never stopped loving you. Everything I have done, everything I have survived was to get back to you. I forgive you, even if you can never forgive me." She grabbed his face in her hands and began to kiss him. Their tears mingled together making the kiss salty but neither one minded. They were lost in each other, savoring the feel, the taste of the other.

"Oliver," Chloe broke their kiss and pulled away from him a little. She needed space so that she could speak to him. "Oliver, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for leaving you, for going behind your back hiding Davis from you. Please forgive me. Please find it in your heart to forgive me." She looked at him earnestly. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them he smiled at her.

"Ok, so here's the deal Sidekick, you forgive me and I will forgive you. Our penance for our stupidity's completed. What do you say we pick up from where we were before Davis Bloom interrupted our lives?"

Chloe broke down in sobs in his arms. Oliver looked on perplexed. "What? What'd I say?" She tearfully looked up at him, a smile that could light the whole city of Metropolis a lit her face.

"You called me Sidekick." Her voice cracked and her smile faltered for just millisecond. "I've missed you calling me Sidekick." She wrapped her arms around him tightly swearing silently to never loose him again, "Deal. I love you, Hero. I swear on all that I am I will never leave your side again."

"I love you too, Sidekick. And I swear on all that I am, that I will never let you leave my side. I can't be the hero I am supposed to be without you by my side." He leaned in slowly and captured her lips with his. This deal was sealed with a kiss.

TBC…

A/N: Constructive Feedback is always welcomed.


	16. Chapter 16

Title: Penance 16/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver,

Rating: Over all rating R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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"Come on guys," Bruce said to the other men as Oliver rushed over to her and grabbed her shoulders trying to calm her and wake her from the night terror that she was experiencing. AC, Bart, and Victor all stood frozen in agony as they watched her thrash in the bed trying to kick away the imaginary assailant. Bart shivered violently as Chloe's scream of "NO! DAVIS, NO PLEASE," escaped her lips. Tears welled in his eyes as he realized just exactly what had happened to her. His stomach clenched tightly as the bile rose up burning the back of his throat. "Let's give them some private time. It looks like there are a lot of unresolved issues here. I think Oliver's got this under control. We'll be in the other room, so if he needs us then we can be here in a flash. Come on guys. I don't think Chloe would want us to see her like this." Bruce said his voice gruff with emotion.

"Yeah, he's right." Victor said softly, mostly he was in shock at seeing Chloe like this. AC still hadn't said a word. He just turned and walked straight out of the room. Bart stood rooted in his spot. For the first time in his life, he did not want to move. He wanted to stand there perfectly still, just in case she needed him. He had failed her. They all had failed her. They were heroes but they couldn't even keep her safe. She was the best of them and they had let her get hurt. Bart felt a hand on his shoulder pulling him from his thoughts.

"Come on, Bart. Let's give Chloe and Oliver some privacy." Victor said as he tried to stare the younger man towards the door.

"What if she needs me…us, Vic? We let her down. We let this happen to her. I can't leave her like this." He said thickly as his throat began to close with the sorrow that he was feeling.

"Ollie's got this, Bart. You've got to let Oliver handle this. He'll take care of her." Victor said softly. "He loves her too, man. Give him a chance."

"I know, it's just…" Bart was at a loss for words, "It's just…Chloe, Vic. Chloe." Bart couldn't hold his tears back any longer and freely they slid down his face.

"I know, man. I know." Victor's voice was thick with the sorrow and the anger he felt for Chloe as he gently guided Bart from the room. Bruce was waiting on the other side of the door waiting to close it behind them. AC had moved to stare out the window; silently he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Dude," AC finally spoke as he turned around once the door was closed and Chloe's anguished cries had been silenced. He was addressing everyone, but mostly looked to Bruce for answers, concern for Chloe etched all over his face, "What do you think really happened to her?" He said already having some idea by witnessing her nightmarish screams and her thrashing, but torn between wanting and not wanting to know for sure what had happened.

"It's obvious that nothing good has happened to her. And when she's ready to talk about it she'll let you know. But in the meantime, all we can do is just be there for her; let her know that we love her and that we support her." Bruce said to them, hoping that he could ease their pain as well as his own a little. He really didn't know what to say.

"OF COURSE WE LOVE HER!!" Bart stood up from his seat on the couch and interrupted Bruce angrily. "And by the screams that I just heard," he pointed towards the now closed door, "saying that 'nothing good happened to her' seems like a HUGE understatement. We all know what that bastard did to her. YOU KNOW!" he pointed at Bruce. "AND YOU KNOW!" he pointed at AC. "AND YOU KNOW!" he pointed at Victor. "AND I KNOW!" he placed his hand on his chest over his broken heart. "I could tell from her cries! Oh my Chloelicious!" He looked mournfully at the door then looked back at the other men in the room, murder ablaze in his eyes, "Killing that bastard will be too good for him! I vote we castrate that son of a bitch and rip him a part limb by limb and put his head on a stake in front of the Luther mansion in Smallville as a warning to never and I mean NEVER mess with our Chloe again." He all but growled the last part. The guys had never seen Bart looking so fierce before. Gone was his youthful enthusiasm in its place was the pure lust of hatred. The other men felt very similar.

Silence descended over the room as the men all got lost within their own thoughts only to be interrupted by the loud buzz of the intercom. Clark was back and was buzzing to be let into the apartment. As the lift doors opened Clark was met with deathly silence. Gone was the boisterous banter. He knew something was wrong.

"Whoa, what's going on guys? Where are Chloe and Oliver? Did he take her to see Dr. Emil?" He asked as he walked into the living room to see them all there but all silent.

"Chloe's here, Clark." Victor said.

"Ahh ok? Are they in his room? How'd the appointment with Emil go?" He asked casually not wanting to give away anything, completely unaware of the scene that they all just witnessed moments before his arrival.

"No, Dude…they never made it to see the Doc. She had another run in with that beastie guy, Clark. Ollie got there just in time to catch her as she fainted. He had Bart bring her back here." AC said to him.

Panic struck Clark's heart. "Is she alright? WHERE IS SHE?" He looked around, using his super hearing he located her heart beat and though it was beating irregularly fast it was calming down.

"WHAT!? NOW YOU CARE?" Bart jumped up and rounded on him standing toe to toe with him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clark was offended. "Of course I care, she's my best friend! What's your problem, Bart? Get out of my face!" He looked at the younger man angrily.

"I should kick your ass, Clark. Really I should! This wouldn't have happened if you had just done your job and kept her safe." He poked Clark in the chest, hurting his finger more than Clark's chest but he welcomed the pain.

"Hang on! Tell me what happened before you jump all over me for it. Is Chloe ok? Somebody better tell me, and tell me right now." Clark looked around the room getting angry at the men just standing there letting Bart get all up in his face for something he wasn't sure was even his fault.

"WHAT HAPPENED!" Bart yelled at Clark. "I'll tell you what happened. Our Chloe, my Chloelicious was attacked…AGAIN…TONIGHT! And where were you, huh? Where were you? Ollie had to fight the beast and I had to bring an unconscious Chloe back here! GOD DAMN IT, Clark! He hurt her and you left her alone…AGAIN!"

"He hurt her?" Clark spun towards the door, "Oh God!" He took a step towards the room that Ollie and Chloe were in but all the guys hastened to block his entrance. AC, Victor, and Bart all blocked his path to the room.

"No way, Dude. Ollie's in there with Chloe. They need some time." AC said to Clark.

"But you said she was hurt." He looked at Bart. "I have the right to know if she's ok, especially after what happened last time." Bruce walked up to the distraught man. He had heard enough about Clark to know that if he really wanted to get into that room, nothing but a green rock found only in Smallville would stop him. Bruce placed his hand on Clark's shoulder.

"Clark, I am sorry that we have to meet under these circumstances, but Oliver had things well in hand. Chloe was not seriously injured tonight, just a couple of bumps and bruises. What the guys, I think, are referring to are the injuries that she sustained the first time around. She was raped, was she not, Clark?" Clark numbly shook his head yes. "There was no evidence on her body to suggest that the rape had occurred tonight. So I assume that it happened sometime in the recent past. Am I correct in my assumption?"

"Yes, it happened just recently. How'd you know? She didn't want anyone to know." Clark looked sadly at the guys.

"Her screams, Clark. Her screams from her nightmare." Tears once again welled in Bart's eyes. "My Licious, my beautiful Licious, Clark. He did that to her."

"Ollie's with her, man." Victor said to Clark trying to give Bart a few moments to calm himself again. Bruce held out his hand for Clark to shake it.

"I'm Bruce, Clark. Normally, I'd say it is nice to meet you but under the circumstances I think we can forgo civil pleasantries, don't you?" Clark grabbed Bruce's hand and firmly shook it.

"Thanks for coming. So, you're the one that dresses up like a large bat? How's that working for you?" Clark smirked at Bruce causing Bruce to return the smirk.

"It's working quite well, thanks. So, I think that we all should just get right down to business to get our minds off of the current situation. Chloe has already gotten me up to speed on the Doomsday problem," when the guys were about to protest that they could handle it without calling in reinforcements Bruce cut them off. "By the sounds of it and there was no way that Chloe thought that 'her boys' couldn't handle this on their own, but she also felt that the more people there were to help the better it would work out. She was also going to call Dinah back from her assignment, but I am unsure as to whether she got to call her or not. Now, instead of arguing amongst ourselves, how about we put our heads together and come up with a plan to destroy this thing you all called Doomsday?"

"Well," Clark started, "Chloe and I did come up with a preliminary plan that we wanted to run by you guys and Oliver. That's where I had to go before; I had to go get an essential piece of the puzzle. Because even after all she's suffered at his hands, Chloe still wants to save Davis. She and I have figured out a way to save the man from the beast."

"Are you serious, Dude? How could she want to save him still after all he's done to her?" AC asked Clark what all the other guys were thinking.

"I'm going to tell you guys what I told Oliver this afternoon. She is a true hero. She wants justice NOT revenge. She wants justice for the wrongs that Davis has committed and sometimes justice is not about making the easy decisions. Sometimes it's about finding that last bit of good in someone and saving them from themselves. Chloe taught me that. And that's what she wants. She wants justice."

"You are right, Clark, she is a hero," Bruce said, "and if this is what she wants to do then this is how we should handle it. This tragedy was done to her and no matter how we feel about it or what we want to do about it; the decision is and should ultimately be hers." The guys all nodded in agreement with Bruce. "So, Clark, what's the plan?"

"Well, I sort of think that Chloe and Ollie should be here when we go over this. From what I gather, they've been in there for awhile now. How about I just turn up my hearing and see if they're done and if they're done, I'll knock on the door and ask them to come out? If they're not, we'll wait for them. I really think that that they should be here." The other guys agreed with him. Oliver and Chloe should be there while they were planning this mission. Not to mention, Oliver had footage of the beast that they all needed to see so they could plan accordingly. Clark walked over to the door and though he generally doesn't like to use his super hearing to eavesdrop, he also didn't want to disturb them if they were in the middle of something. What he over heard lightened his heart.

_"__Ok, so here's the deal Sidekick, you forgive me and I will forgive you. Our penance for our stupidity's completed. What do you say we pick up from where we were before Davis Bloome interrupted our lives?"_

Clark could hear Chloe begin to sob and he heard the anxiety in Oliver's voice._ "What? What'd I say?"  
_

"_You called me Sidekick." _Her voice cracked._ "I've missed you calling me Sidekick. Deal. I love you, Hero. I swear on all that I am I will never leave your side again."_

"_I love you too, Sidekick. And I swear on all that __**I**__ am, that I will never let you leave my side. I can't be the hero I am supposed to be without you by my side."_ When he couldn't hear their voices any longer Clark softly knocked on the door.

"Chloe? Ollie?" He called through the door, not opening it until they called back to him.

"Yeah, Clark, you can come in." He could hear the smile in Chloe's voice. He could feel the happiness at being reunited with Oliver radiate from her. He didn't want to shatter her happiness but he really wanted to find out if she was ok.

"Well, the guys were just telling me about your run in earlier today and also about your dream. I was concerned, Chlo. Are you ok?" He looked at her earnestly taking note that Oliver still had her wrapped tightly in his arms as if he were never going to let her go. He was glad that they had reconciled and he was glad to see that Oliver was going to stand beside her. His respect for Oliver as a man doubled today.

"I'm ok, Clark," she said as she untangled herself from Oliver. Clark gave her a doubtful look and she just smiled at him. "Really, for the first time in weeks I'm really ok now."

"I'm glad to hear that, Chlo. Ollie, have you heard from Dr. Emil? Weren't you supposed to have an appointment with him?" Clark asked and Oliver grimaced. Clark knew why Oliver was going to see him and he figured that Oliver would have better luck bringing Chloe there than he would.

"Ahh, in all the excitement, Clark, believe it or not, I forgot all about that appointment. Maybe it'll just be better for all involved if he were to just come here."

"Oliver, why do you need to see Emil?" Chloe asked suspiciously, she knew that Emil had figured out what had happened. "Are you hurt? Sick? Are you ok?" Her concern for him was genuine although she was still suspicious of his motives.

"The appointment was not really for me, Sidekick. Emil had some information for me, yes, but it was you that he really wanted to see." He looked over at Clark who stood close to the door as if to say silently, 'thanks a lot.'

"Why would Emil want to see me, Oliver? Did he tell you something that I should know?" Chloe narrowed her eyes.

"Sidekick, Emil called me this afternoon and said that he wanted me to bring you to see him. He wouldn't tell me why, he just said that he wanted to make sure that you were ok and to make sure that you didn't need medical treatment. Of course that got my attention, but he refused to say any more about it, to me. Then Clark showed up and I went to get you at Isis. I had a run in with Beastie man himself, which I have yet to tell you about and show the others the video I took. So, to get back to Emil, what do you say, Sidekick, how about we let Dr. Emil check you out?" He did his best impression of a lost puppy; he knew that this was the look that always got him what he wanted with Chloe.

"No." She said simply and quietly.

"Chloe, please recon…" She interrupted Oliver.

"No, Oliver. No. I am fine. I am not hurt, physically. I do not want him or anyone right now prodding me. So, the answer is no."

"Chloe," Clark began gently but she cut him off with a single look before he could start in on her too.

"No, Clark. I am telling you both NO and to drop it. Oliver call back Dr. Emil and tell him I thank him for his concern but I won't be coming by."

"Chloe," Oliver tried again, "I really think you should get checked out by a doctor."

"Oliver," she huffed the hair out of her eyes as she stood from the bed, frustration definitely in her stance, "I'm fine, please just drop it. Let's just work on our plan and get this over with once and for all. Once Doomsday is taken care of then maybe I'll go see a doctor ok? Right now I really just need to keep my head in the game and I just can't deal with what happened, ok? Please understand and just let it go for now."

"Fine, Chloe, it's your call, but I swear if for one moment I even suspect something is wrong I am dragging you to Emil's office."

"Kicking and screaming, Oliver?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes, even if you are kicking and screaming." He grinned at her. Chloe laughed at the image of him dragging her kicking and screaming into Emil's office in her mind.

"Oh Oliver," she said saucily fully aware of Clark still in the room watching their exchange, "how very caveman of you. Hmmm, that's such a turn on." She laughed at the shocked looks on their faces. "I'm kidding, guys, I'm kidding. What happen to your sense of humor?"

"It's been a long day, Chloe." Clark said to her dead panned.

"A very long day." Oliver chimed in as Chloe laughed her way towards the bathroom.

"Well, I'll meet you guys out in the living room. I have to wash up and take care of some female business in here. Oliver, why don't you show they guys that video and what Doomsday looks like. I really don't need to see it again. I've seen that thing enough in my lifetime." She said as she shut the door to the bathroom. She listened intently through the door as Oliver and Clark exited the bedroom, their male voices carrying quietly through the door until they entered the living room. Once their voices faded away to practically nothing Chloe leaned heavily on the door. The happy façade she just had on her face vanished as she looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't stop the tears from falling.

They all knew. They all knew what had happened to her. The one thing she never wanted them to know, to see and they did. Another failure on her part. She wanted to keep her shame to herself, but now they all knew. She cupped her hands over her face to muffle the sounds of her sobs and she slid listlessly to the floor where she pulled her knees up to her chin. They all knew.

TBC…

A/N: Constructive Feedback is always welcomed.


	17. Chapter 17

Title: Penance 17/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smileeface

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

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As Clark and Oliver walked out of Oliver's room, Bart immediately noticed that Chloe wasn't with them.

"Where's Chloelicious?" He asked them as he peered around the taller men looking for his little blond beauty.

"She said she'd be right out. She wanted to wash up a bit. She wanted me to show you guys the video I took of Doomsday. She didn't really want to see it, not that I could blame her. Oh and speaking of Mr. Beastie, Clark I thought that you were going to stay here incase I needed some back up? Where'd ya go, man? What was so important that you had to leave?"

"I had to get this." He held up the Phantom Zone crystal. "It's a vital component of our plan. But when I was getting it, I had an unexpected visitor."

"Really?" Oliver asked raising an eyebrow, "Who visited? Do tell."

_Clark had just finished putting the worn dirty tarp over the loose boards that hid the Phantom Zone crystal. Something in his gut told him to get to the barn and check on it. This crystal was his only hope of ridding the world of the monster known as Doomsday. He just hoped that this guy Bruce could do what Chloe thought he could do, that he could get the black Kryptonite away from Tess, with out her suspecting. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear Tess until she had almost reached him. _

"_The new contemplative Clark Kent. I like it." She said. Slowly and suspiciously he turned around. His guarded stance didn't go unnoticed by Tess._

_  
"Tess?" He addressed her as he turned around acting surprised at her arrival. "What can I do for you?"_

_  
"I've come to talk to you, Clark. I've come to once again offer my help in finding your friend Chloe and that man Davis Bloome. I didn't like how we left it the other night. I want to help. And if you believe that Chloe is being held against her will then I want to help you. That's what friends do, Clark. And I want to be your friend, not just your boss." She tried to come across as sincere; she failed miserably in Clark's eyes. _

"_Well, I'm kind of busy at the moment." He said dismissively as he picked up the bridal to one of the horses on the farm. _

"_With what?" She took a step closer to him, drawing his attention back to her. "Farm chores? I'd let you off if you were saving a busload of children, but cleaning the feeding bin? What I have to talk to you about is important. I have some information about Davis Bloome that I think you may find interesting." _

"_Well let me tell you what I already know, Tess." He turned to look at her directly putting down the bridal he was holding onto the tool box near him. "I know you've been checking into Davis Bloome and his past. I know that you know a lot more about the man than you've let on. I know that the reason you have put all that stuff about him into the paper is because you want something from him, not that you want to help me find Chloe or even that you want a serial killer off the streets of Metropolis. I know that you want him captured for your own person reasons. The question I have is why? Why is Davis Bloome so important to Lex Luthor's protégée?" _

_She looked impressed. She was not one to underestimate someone's intelligence all that often, yet she always managed to do that with Clark. He was constantly surprising her with his wit and his mind. "I'm afraid there's not a short version of that story." She said coyly a sinister smile gracing her almost perfect face._

"_I think I missed something. Why don't you explain it to me?" Clark said his brows furrowed._

"_Don't play dumb, Clark it doesn't suit you." She took a step closer to him, invading his personal space just a bit. "You've been at the center of it the whole time." She reached out and played with an invisible speck of dirt on his shirt for a moment then dropped her hand. "You see, I know more than you or anyone else gives me credit for." She smiled at him, a forced tight smile. "Recently, I came into possession of a journal of Lionel Luthor's. The journal talks about an old Native American myth about boy who fell from the stars on the day of a meteor shower. Lionel's obsession with this 'traveler,' as the boy was referred to was the only reason that he was in Smallville that day. He wanted to possess the traveler for himself."_

"_Tess, can you please just get to the point. Why are you telling me all this?" Clark asked as he looked at her. A mixer of fear and disbelief etched onto his face. _

"_I'm telling you this because I know that Lionel and then Lex got the moral of the story wrong. According to the Kawatche Indians, this boy is part of a two-headed creature -- good and evil. The Luthors were too busy feuding over which one of them was worthy enough to be your adversary that they couldn't see the truth."_

_  
"And what's the truth, Tess?" Clark asked trying to seem skeptical, he didn't miss that she had referred to him as this boy._

_She took a step closer, closing the distance between them; she leaned in closer to his ear and whispered, "There was another boy who came to earth with you, Clark, Davis Bloome." _

_Clark took a step backwards putting a bit of distance between them and chuckled, "So, let me get this straight, you think that Davis Bloome and I are from another planet?" _

_She got indignant. She didn't like it when someone laughed at her. "Lionel found Davis on the day of the meteor shower. He thought he was the traveler, but then the boy's tests seemed normal. So, Lionel held Davis but only for five days. And then he threw the boy out onto the street because he got a phone call from Martha Kent._

_Clark chuckled again and walked away from Tess and headed for the entrance of the barn. "Tess, you are reaching." He said as he turned to look at her. _

"_Am I?" She walked over to him and blocked his path. She was not done talking to him yet. "It's Lionel's own words, and I quote – 'I have the wrong boy, but I believe that I have found the true traveler.' Why else would Lionel Luthor arrange an adoption for a boy who seemed to come out of nowhere? It looks like you're the reason that Davis was abandoned in the first place." She smiled triumphantly at him. _

"_Look, I'm really sorry that you bought into this strange obsession that the Luthors had for me, but…" Clark shook his head._

"_I don't think of it as buying in. I think of it as believing." She interrupted him. _

"_If you choose to spend your Saturday nights reading the journal of a madman, sounds to me like you have a few holes in your personal life." He grabbed the rag from his back pocket and began to rub the grease from his hands. He needed to keep his hands busy, she was too close to his secret and he just didn't want to jeopardize anything by fidgeting._

"_We all look to idols -- religion, the rich and the famous -- because we have holes in our lives. But it doesn't mean that these things aren't real." She said to him, her smile vanishing as she became more serious with each word. She wanted him to trust her. She already knew his secret and she wanted him to tell her in his own words. To confirm what she already knew._

"_What you've made me out to be is not real. I'll never be that man." Clark denied the truth to her. _

"_Not until Judas is at your back. I have this feeling that you'll never fulfill your great destiny until you meet your greatest challenge." She closed her eyes to get her anger under control, how many times was he going to lie to her face about who he really was?_

"_You don't know anything about my life. And again you compare me to Jesus. I think that if you are having a crisis of faith then you should go speak to someone more qualified than I am to right your skewed version of the truth." _

"_If this is the way that you lied to Lex, then I can see how it pushed him over the edge." She said to him menacingly her anger clearly visible in her stance. _

"_Lex was racing toward that drop-off way before he met me." Clark defended himself. His friendship with Lex was still a very open wound. Yet another friend that he couldn't save…except the monster with Lex was the demon within himself. _

"_Yeah, but betrayal...you know, the more you love someone, the harder it is." She looked self righteously at Clark. "Look, Clark, the difference between Lex and me is that he turned his back on you and I still believe. I understand that if more people were like you the world would be a better place, but that's out of your hands now, Clark. You can't avoid you fate." _

"_Are you threatening me, Tess?" Clark cocked his head to the side as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You know Tess, Lex did teach me one thing. That the word 'fate' is used by people who have lost sight of who they are."_

_Tess chuckled, "I'm not threatening you. I'm not that naïve, Clark."_

"_Well, I am not some problem to be solved." Clark warned her to back off. He wanted her to stop looking into his life. Now, he fully understood why his parents strived so hard to keep his secret quiet. Once people realized that he was hiding something, they never stopped. They never left him alone. _

"_I get it." She placed her hand on his arm, in a comforting gesture that he just shook off. "It's too early. Just know that I'll wait for you, Clark. I'll wait for you to come to me. And you will come to me." She said as she turned and walked out of the barn._

"_It's gonna be a long wait." He said to her darkly as he watched her walk to her car and drive away. Once he made sure that she was gone he headed back to the hidden spot where the Phantom Zone crystal laid, he uncovered the boards and grab the crystal. He wasn't going to leave it here. He didn't want to take a chance that Tess had seen him with it. He was going to bring it over to Oliver's apartment and have him put it in his safe. He gave Tess a few more minutes before he ran to Oliver's place. He hoped that the guys and Chloe would understand what took him so long. He was only supposed to be gone a few minutes instead he was gone for almost an hour._

_As he made his way into Oliver's apartment he hoped that Chloe had worked everything out with Oliver. She was going to need him once everything had calmed down and she had time to process what had happened to her. She was going to need someone strong to support and catch her when she fell. Of course, he was going to be there for her, there was no question in his mind about that, but it is Oliver that Chloe needs to be by her side through all of this. He only hoped that she hadn't pushed him away. He waited patiently for the lift doors to open and for someone to buzz him into the apartment. As the lift doors opened Clark was met with deathly silence. Gone was the boisterous banter. He knew something was wrong. _

"So here we are, you all know the rest; how about you put this into your safe, Ollie? We're going to need this soon." He handed over the crystal to Oliver and watched as he walked into his Green Arrow room. Using his x-ray vision, Clark watched Oliver put the crystal into his secret safe. Clark then watched him walk back to the living room. "Now, how about we watch this video of yours and we get a look at this beast." Clark said as Oliver walked back into the room.

Oliver walked over to his desk and took out his Green Arrow glasses. He then proceeded to hook the glasses into the computer to download the data. The other guys in the room gathered around the desk and waited patiently for the video to load. Not a sound could be heard in the room as they all watched in silence, studying the movements of the monster on the screen. They watched as Oliver's arrows bounced off his skin and Oliver's quick thinking getting him out of the office.

"Dude! That thing is just hideous." AC said.

"I know." Oliver replied quietly. All he could think about was Chloe and all that she suffered because of this thing, because of Davis Bloome. He could once again feel the anger rise inside of him at what Davis had done to her. He took a deep calming breath and focused on the task at hand.

"Ok, so how are we going to fight this thing?" Bruce asked.

"Well, we already know that my arrows don't even scratch that thing. I shot him in the shoulder out of pure instinct, and in the solar plexus to get his attention. Then I shot him in the trachea to see if he'd even feel it. And then I shot him in the face…just to piss him off as I escaped through the window. Honestly, I don't know what this thing's weakness is. We know that unlike Clark, he can survive being around the green meteor rock. He's also extremely strong and deadly to anyone who gets in his way."

"Now, one question, why do you keep comparing this thing to Clark?" Bruce asked.

"Well, it seems that Clark and this Beastie are of the same ilk, so to speak." Victor said.

"Let's just say that Clark and this thing are from the same place and leave it at that." Oliver said to Bruce, who quickly got the hint to let it drop.

"Dudes, is it just me, or has Chloe been in the bathroom for awhile? Shouldn't someone go and check on her?" AC said as he looked at Oliver.

"I'll go." And before anyone could protest Bart was gone.

"I guess, he'll check on her." Oliver said as he watched the door to his room swing for a moment.

"He's been really worried about her." AC said to the other guys, Oliver in particular. "He really does care for her, Ollie."

"I know, he and I have already had a talk about Chloe earlier today. I know exactly how he feels." Oliver said. "This is good. They have a special bond between them; maybe he can help her where Clark and I can't."

"Well, in the meantime, while Bart's in there with Chloe, how about we go over this ingenious plan of yours?" Oliver said to Clark.

"Well, Chloe and I figured that in order to destroy the beast, we are going to have to separate the man from the beast."

"Is that even possible?" Victor asked.

"Well, we realized that Davis may not be as invincible as we thought. There is something that might work, but I can't do it alone. Actually, I can't do it at all. I can not get within 50 feet of this. Ok, so for you all to understand I am going to have to give you all a brief history about me." He looked at the men in the room; the only one who didn't know about Clark's origins was Bruce, "One, I am not from around here, all of you but Bruce here knows that I am adopted and I'm not human…"

"What? Wait a second? What do you mean by 'not human'?" Bruce interrupted Clark.

"Well, to make a long story short; I'm from a planet called Krypton. It was destroyed a very long time ago. My biological parents sent me to Earth, to Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, along with me came a meteor show, remnants of my home planet Krypton, which is deadly to me should I be near it for too long. But there are many forms of meteor rock, which we refer to as Kryptonite. First there is Green Kryptonite that will kill me. Then there's Red Kryptonite that will take away all my inhibitions and my conscience, I act almost drunk or high on that stuff, not a pretty sight. And then there's Black Kryptonite. It's what my parents used when my Kryptonian side of my personality took over. It splits the Kryptonian from the human. It's very painful, but it was successful in my case. Now, we are not sure if it will work on Davis, but we want to try."

"Hold on a second here, let me wrap my brain around what you're telling me. Are you trying to say that you and that thing are aliens?" Bruce said, completely in shock.

"Yes, Bruce, that is exactly what I am telling you. And trust me, it's not easy sharing my secret with you, a complete stranger, but this is not the time to debate about it. So, yes, I am an alien, however, I was raised here on Earth. I have human parents. I love the same way as humans do, and I feel the same way as humans feel."

"You want to use Black Kryptonite to separate Davis Bloome and Doomsday. But where can we get any Black Kryptonite? And who's going to do the actual separation? From what I've gathered from your story, you can't touch the stuff, right?" Bruce looked from Clark to Oliver.

"Yes, that's right. I am going to need someone to get the Black Kryptonite as well as use it against Davis. I will not be able to get near the Kryptonite. However, once the separation occurs, I will take Doomsday somewhere where he can not hurt anyone and send him to the Phantom Zone."

"The Phantom Zone?" Bruce asked.

Clark looked at Bruce; he deserved to have all the information he had especially if he was going to be the one to pull off this mission. "The Phantom Zone is an other dimension. It's basically the Kryptonian prison dimension. The Phantom Zone was discovered by my biological father and used on the planet Krypton as a method of imprisoning the criminals. The inmates of the Phantom Zone reside in a featureless state of existence from which they can observe, but cannot interact with, the regular universe. Inmates do not age or require sustenance in the Phantom Zone and most importantly, now that it has been destroyed from the inside, there is no escape from the Phantom Zone. So, once someone is sent there, there is no coming back.

"So, to get back to the plan that Chloe and I formulated, I found out Tess inherited all of Lionel and Lex's Kryptonian research. I am sure that Lionel had a piece of Black Kryptonite among all the other pieces of Kryptonite in Lex's vault. But I can't get them. I can't go into that vault so I need to have someone skilled enough to break in and get that Kryptonite without tipping Tess off. That means that you can't do it, Ollie." Clark looked at Oliver and Oliver only raised his eyebrow in question, "She already suspects there's something going on. If you just suddenly appear then you will tip her off. And that's just not something we can afford to do at the moment. It'll have to be Bruce; he can use a business merger or something, maybe a buy out of all of Lex's shares in some company. Tess would never work with you on a business deal, Ollie.

"Then once we have the Black Kryptonite, we will have to find Davis Bloome and bring him to a secure place where no one could get hurt. Someone will have to place the Black Kryptonite onto Davis. This is when he'll be split from the beast. I'll come in after the Kryptonite has been put somewhere safe preferably somewhere shielded by lead. I'll take the beast to the fortress and send him on a one way journey into the phantom zone where he can never hurt anyone again. Davis will be free of the beast and the world will be safe again."

Bruce looked at Clark. "And what if that doesn't work? What if you end up unleashing a monster that's unstoppable, that doesn't have a conscience? What is your contingency plan, Clark?"

Clark eyed Bruce trying to figure out what he was saying, "This is the only option."

"Clark, what if that doesn't work. Are you prepared to destroy this thing? I need to know just far you are willing to go, in order to satisfy your own moral code. How many lives are you willing to sacrifice if your plan fails? You have a responsibility to look at this situation from both sides, Clark."

"What are you saying, Bruce? Are you suggesting that I consider killing this man? That I murder him to prevent the beast from escaping? I'm not even sure that Davis can be killed until we remove the beast from him and even if he could, I just won't do that. That is not justice that is murder."

"You can't tell me that it hasn't crossed your mind, Clark. After what he did to Chloe? After all the people he murdered? Do you really think that this man deserves to live after all the evil he has committed? You have a responsibility to the people of this world, to your home; this monster…this beast is from your past. What are you going to do if your plan fails, Clark? I think I deserve to know the answer before I agree to anything that you are suggesting." Unbeknownst to Clark, Bruce was testing the young man as well as his ethical principles. "Will you do what may need to be done, Clark?"

"Bruce, my responsibility is to do what is right! Like it or not we all stand for something. We set an example for others to follow and if we don't follow the example that we set, then we are no better than the people we fight against. No one here has the right to choose who lives or who dies. We are not judge, jury and executioner. I will send Doomsday into the Phantom Zone, if it's the last thing I do. I will not let that monster hurt another living being on this Earth. However, Davis Bloome will be a man, a human man. He will be delivered to the authorities where he will stand trial for his crimes. Chloe will get her justice and the world will be safe again."

Bruce smiled. He was very impressed with Clark. He held out his hand to shake Clark's hand, "Good answer. I am glad that we got this out of the way. I'm sorry, Clark. But I have only one rule and that is to do my best to not take a life. As you said, it is not up to us to decide whether someone lives or someone dies, our job is just to bring the bad guys to justice. I'm in." Clark smiled at Bruce, glad to hear that he really didn't believe in taking a life and also glad to have another ally.

TBC...

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	18. Chapter 18

Title: Penance 18/?

Author:Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

**A/N: I just want everyone to understand that I, in _NO_ way, believe that a survivor of rape is ever at fault for being raped. You will be reading Chloe's feelings on this subject which is a very common reaction for rape survivors. But I just wanted to let every one know that this is going to be a very _VERY_ emotional Chapter where Chloe is going to try to come to terms with what happened to her.**

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Bart could hear the water running from behind the door. He could also hear the sobs as they left Chloe's body. His heart broke for her. The pain that she must have suffered and then how Ollie had treated her.

"Chloe?" He called softly to her from his side of the door. He tried the knob and found it locked. He could hear her breath come in gasps as she tried to pretend that she wasn't crying. Always trying to be strong for everyone else, never allowing herself a moment of weakness or of comfort.

"Oh…hey, Bart," She tried to sound upbeat and happy, but Bart saw right through her façade. "I'll be out in a few minutes. I just need a couple more minutes to wash up. It's been a long day, ya know?" Her voice cracked and her breath grew labored. He could hear her crying softer than she had before, but she was still crying.

"Oh Beautiful, there's no rush. I just wanted you to know that I am here for you. I am right here and I am not going anywhere. You're safe, Licious, I won't ever let anyone hurt you again…EVER! I swear." He heard her begin to sob again; he didn't mean to make her cry harder. In actuality he had meant to soothe her pain, not increase it. "Chloe, please…open the door." He knocked again and placed his palms on the door's surface waiting. "Please, you're breaking my heart, Chloe. You don't have to suffer like this. You don't have to endure this alone. I'm here, Ollie's here, Clark's here…we're all here for you. Please let us in, please let me in. Chloe please." He said to her through the door as he pressed his cheek to the rough surface of the door. "Please, Beautiful." He whispered as he turned his back to the door and slid down so that he was sitting with his back up against the door waiting for her to open it. He would wait here forever for her to let him in.

With each sob that escaped her lips an invisible fist squeezed his heart. This was his Chloe, his Chloelicious, the woman that he admired more than another woman on the planet. She took him in, gave him what no other woman had ever given him…unconditional love…she was the big sister he had always wanted, the mother figure he needed to guide him in life, she was the woman that he would forever compare any love interest to, she was his everything all rolled up into one tiny lovable package. He would wait here, like a dog waiting for his master to come home. She'd have to come out eventually, and when she did, she would see him, sitting there waiting for her, supporting her even though she kept him at a distance.

"Chloe, please, open the door. Are you ok?" He asked concerned for her.

"I'm fine, Bart. I'm fine. I just wish everyone would just stop asking me that. I'm fine." She said exasperated.

"Chlo, how can you be fine after what you've been through? You have to give yourself time to cope."

"Bart, please I know all that, alright. But I can't right now, I just can't think about it. I can't loose focus."

"Focus on what, Chloe? What is going on in that head of yours? Let us in, let me in, we can help." He pleaded with her.

"Help? God," she laughed harshly, "no one can help me, Bart."

"Talk to me, Beautiful. Maybe talking about it will help." He pleaded.

"Guh! Would you stop saying that?" She said angrily through the door.

"Saying what?" Bart asked perplexed.

"Stop calling me beautiful, because I know I'm not. I know what you all see. I know that you all pity me now. That you all think that I am some helpless female that can't take care of herself, that I'm just trouble on legs. Well, I've got news for you all, I'm not helpless, what happened to me, well that was a fluke. I deserved what happened to me. I let my guard down. Having him…having him," She couldn't even bring herself to say it to Bart. "I deserved it, ok. Those people that died in that hotel room after I ran away like a coward would never have died had I just listened to Oliver and Clark. What happened to me was my punishment for allowing that to happen to them, Bart. I'm sooo sorry that this all happened. I wish I could take it all back and start over. I'm sooo sorry." Chloe buried her face in her hands as her whole body shook with sobs.

Her mournful wale of being sorry tore at Bart's heart. Tears welled in his eyes and he got onto his knees facing the door because he was sure that she was sitting on the floor on the other side of that door; his voice was rough with emotion. "Chloe, you need to understand something and I am not leaving here until you do. NO ONE BLAMES YOU FOR THIS! Do you understand? THIS WAS NOT YOUR FAULT! And you are the MOST beautiful woman that I have ever laid my eyes on and I'm willing to bet my next meal that Ollie feels the same way. We love you. I love you! And I am not leaving here until you realize that what that bastard did to you…you didn't deserve it. You didn't! And I want you to know that I am here for you. We are all here for you. I don't think any less of you. I do not pity you. My heart is broken, for you. I want to kill that bastard for you, but for you we are going to bring him to justice. We are going to make him pay through the justice system. But you are still my Chloelicious; you are still beautiful, strong, funny, kind, loving, and courageous. Chloe, you are not the victim of this monster, you are a survivor of this monster. You are a survivor, period. You will reclaim everything that he stole from you and we will be with you every step of the way. Every step, Beautiful, every step."

"Oh Bart." Chloe sighed as she continued to listen to him as his words began to penetrate her wall of anger and though her tears still fell from her eyes she began to feel more at ease until she heard, _**his**_ voice. She swiveled her head to look around the bathroom afraid that somehow Davis had managed to hide himself in Oliver's bathroom. When she couldn't spot him anywhere she stood and walked over to turn off the water that she had left running before she had broken down. Bart stood as well, hearing her begin to move, he very patiently waited for her to come out. As Chloe reached for the faucet she heard Davis's voice again. She shook her head and looked into the mirror of the medicine cabinet. What she saw in the mirror made her scream, and made poor Bart nearly jump onto the ceiling fan as well as the guys in the living room come running. There staring at her, calling to her with his red eyes blazing was Davis.

"Chloe." He beckoned to her.

"No. No, no, no, this isn't happening." She said as she shut her eyes for a minute before opening them again to see him still staring at her from the mirror. She could hear Bart pounding on the door yelling for her to let him in. She heard him call to the others, but she didn't move from the sink. She kept her eyes glued to Davis in the mirror.

"Chloe," Davis said to her again, "you're mine, Chloe, mine forever. You can't escape me. There is no where for you to hide. I will find you. And I will take you again and again. You can't run from me. YOU ARE MINE!" He yelled at her.

"NO!" She screamed in anguish grasping the sides of her head before screaming back at Davis, "NO! I AM NOT, DAVIS!!! I'M NOT!!"

"I'm inside you, Chloe!" He mocked her, he taunted her. "I'm inside you; you can't escape."

"NO! I am my own person! Get out of my head!"

"No, Chloe, you're mine!" He laughed.

She didn't even think; she just reacted, all the anger, all the pain, all the fear exploded out from her. She didn't hear Bart or Oliver or even Clark as they yelled to her through the door. She saw nothing but _**his**_ face in the mirror laughing at her and she exploded. She let all of her emotions erupt from her and she smashed her fist into his face over and over again until his face lay shattered into pieces, her blood mixing with the water as it continued to run down the drain. Both fists bloodied and perhaps a few knuckles broken as she collapsed in a heap onto the floor at the base of the sink…catatonic. This was how Oliver found her, when he broke in the door. Quickly he grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped both of her hands up. The others stood in shock at the scene before them. There was so much blood smeared everywhere.

"WHAT ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE FOR?!" Oliver yelled at the other men. "Someone call Emil! Clark, get him here NOW! She's bleeding!" Oliver sat next to her with his back against the bathtub and as he held her hands in the towel with one hand, he scooted next to her and lifted her onto his lap. He cradled her head to his chest and wrapped his other arm around her as securely as he could. They would wait there together on the bathroom floor; the only sound in the room besides Oliver's breathing was the running water draining down the sink. Oliver held onto her tightly and kissed the top of her head, "I've got you, Sidekick," his voice wavered, "I've got you." He buried his head into the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent.

"And I've got you both." Clark said as he lifted them from the floor and carried them into Oliver's room and he put them gently onto the middle of the bed. Oliver looked up at Clark thankful. "Take care of her, Ollie, I'll be right back. I'm going to get Emil." Oliver nodded and Clark caressed Chloe's hair before he was gone. Once Clark left, Bart made his way over to the side of Oliver's bed that Chloe was lying on. He too, caressed her hair and placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek, tears fell freely from his eyes. He looked over at Oliver, silently asking permission and didn't even hesitate when Oliver nodded his head; he just climbed onto the bed and he wrapped his arms securely around her too. "And I've got you too, Beautiful. I'm not letting you go either." AC and Victor both made their way to the bed. Oliver scooted a little closer to Chloe as Victor took a seat on his side of the bed while AC sat next to Bart. AC reached over Bart and placed his hand on her arm and Victor reached over and grabbed her leg just above her knee.

"I've got you too, Tower." AC's voice cracked with emotion.

"Me too, Chloe, I'm not letting you go either." Said Victor.

It was only then did her breathing hitch and sobs racked her body. It was at that moment that she realized that she really was going to be alright because she had the greatest men in the world in her life and no matter what happened, she realized, that they were NEVER going to leave her. They had taken it upon themselves to love and protect her. She wept until all the hurt and pain left her body and exhaustion once again over took her. Although before she fell asleep, she muttered, "I love you all."

Bruce stood in awe in the doorway at the overwhelming support of these guys. He wondered briefly if Chloe or even Oliver realized just how lucky they were to have a family such as they had. Quietly he closed the door to the room, shutting out the world and he waited in the living room until Clark got back with a disheveled looking man who Bruce assumed was Dr. Emil.

"Where is she?" the doctor asked concerned.

"They're in there." Bruce said as he made his way to the bed room.

"They?" Emil questioned.

"Yes, they, all of them. You won't get them to leave her, so my advice to you is don't even try. They won't leave her until she says so."

"Aahh, ok." Emil said as he entered the room. "Ahh, I'm not sure how this is going to work, gentlemen." None of them answered him; they all just looked over at him. "Well, how am I supposed to help her, if I can't even find her? All I see of her is the back of her head."

Chloe smiled into Oliver's chest having been woken up by Emil's entrance. She looked up at Oliver then over to Victor and to Clark who now stood behind Victor having only left her to get the doctor.

"I'm ok, guys. I'm sorry to have gotten you all so worked up. Really, I'm ok. I'm sorry that I worried you all." They all looked at her, their attention focused solely on her, though it was Oliver who spoke for them.

"Chloe, you're not ok. And you don't have to be ok right now. We all love you, no matter what. Do you get that? No matter what! What that monster did to you wasn't your fault; you didn't deserve it, do you understand, Chloe? It wasn't your fault. You were violated, it's alright to feel violated but you are strong and we all know that when you are ready you will be ok again, but only when YOU are ready. There's no rush, Sidekick, we love you and are here for you…let us be here for you. We're not going to leave you, not now…not ever, so get that through your thick little head. You're stuck with us." Oliver kissed the top of her head.

Chloe was unable to speak because her throat clogged with tears again. She slowly looked over all the men in the room and when she regained her voice she said, "Thank you. All of you. I love you all so much! I can not even begin to tell you how much it means to me to know that I have you, each and everyone of you. You are my family and I couldn't have asked for a better one. But for this moment in time, I am ok, really I am. Let's let Emil do his job and then let's get the bastard that did this to me. I need to bring him to justice. I need that closure. I…just…need it."

"Then you'll get it, Sidekick. Right guys?" A chorus of 'right' was heard though out the room as the guys slowly moved so that Emil could check her hands. Chloe chuckled into Oliver's chest as Emil approached. Oliver just raised his eyebrow in question.

"Well, it looks like you and Clark get your wish. Looks like I'll have to see the doctor tonight after all."

"Always have to do things the hard way don't you, Sidekick?" Oliver chuckled too, "Stubborn woman. It's a good thing that I love you." He said as he kissed her head again.

"Yes, it is. I am the LUCKIEST woman on Earth, Oliver." She looked up at him and kissed his chin, much to the humor of the other guys in the room.

"Ok, ok enough of this lovey dovey mushy stuff." Bart said from the other side of the bed, his arms still wrapped around Chloe.

"Ahh ok Bart, it's time to let go now." Oliver said to him.

"Ah man, this is the longest I've ever had her in my arms. Dude, you are sooo ruining my moment!"

"You're moment's over, there Short stuff. It's time for Emil to check out her hands."

"Oh you are so lucky that the doc here has to do his thing. I think that I could sway my Chloelicious away from you if I just had a few more minutes."

"Ha, that's a good one, Bart." Laughed AC.

"What? It's true! What's Jolly Green Giant here got that I don't got?" Bart said sullen as he got up so that Emil could sit next to Chloe to check out her hands.

"Jolly Green Giant?" Oliver said from his seat next to Chloe.

"Yeah, he's like this wicked tall dude who likes to run around in green clothes and stuff. Hmmm, sounds familiar, right?" Bart said cockily.

"Well, that's a new one." Oliver said as he rolled his eyes at Bart.

"Yeah, well, think of it as pay back for the 'short stuff' comment there." Bart said as he stuck out his tongue. Chloe laughed truly happy for the moment. Bart smiled and his stomach growled. "Oh, I'm sorry Licious, I have to go get something to eat…be back in a few minutes." Chloe was still smiling even as Emil cleaned up her wounds on her hands. She didn't even feel the sting of the alcohol as he rubbed it into her cuts.

"Well, nothing looks broken, but I can't really be sure without an X-ray." Emil said, worried that she may have broken her knuckle on her middle finger.

"Well, I'm not going to the hospital so I guess we're just going to have to wing it." She told him. There was just no way that she was going to the hospital now.

"Hey Clark," Oliver said, "you've got X-ray vision, how about you see if she has any broken bones?"

"Sure, so long as it's ok with Chloe?" He asked, she just nodded her head yes. Clark squinted his eyes a bit and stared intently at her hands. He looked over at Emil and smiled. "No broken bones."

"Good, good." Emil said, "ahh how about you all give us a moment alone? I would like to speak to Chloe about a private matter." He said as he looked pointedly at Chloe.

"Chloe? Is that ok with you?" Oliver asked her.

"Yeah, but ahh, don't go too far, ok?" She said nervously to Oliver.

Emil waited until they had all left them alone and shut the door. Chloe scooted up into a sitting position on the bed and watched Emil and waited for him to speak.

"Chloe, we both know what happened in that motel room. I," He paused and rubbed the back of his neck, "I wanted to tell you how sorry I am that it happened to you, but I really feel that you need to be checked thoroughly by a medical professional. If you don't want me to examine you, I completely understand, however, I do know some wonderful female doctors who specialize in rape trauma cases. They don't need to know the specifics but they will help you."

"Emil, thank you for your concern especially after what just happened tonight. But until Davis is caught, I am staying with my guys. I'm sorry, but I promise that after Davis is brought to justice, I will go and see one of your friends."

"How about I leave you a card with some names on it? You can call one of them when you are ready."

"That would be wonderful, thank you." He handed her a card with three women's names and telephone numbers written on it. She smiled at him when she took it. "Thank you, Emil, for everything."

"You're welcome, Chloe." He patted her wrist just above the bandages and then he got up to leave. As he opened the door he turned back to her, sadness in his eyes, "Really, Chloe, I am sorry about what happened to you, but you are strong and resilient. I know it may be a struggle, but I know that you will bounce back. If you need me, I am but a phone call away, remember that please." He smiled at her softly and then left the room. Chloe could hear him ask Oliver to get him a cab because he didn't want to travel by the Clark Express again, no matter how fast it was. She could hear the guys' chuckle and she smiled. That was her family out there. She stood and walked to the door of the room where she quietly observed them, Bart had returned and he was munching noisily in AC's ear as they played video games on the big screen; Victor was at the desk behind the computer doing what he does best, probably researching something for Oliver. Oliver, Clark and Bruce stood with Emil at the elevator doors waiting for the cab to arrive just talking small talk. There was only one other person missing from this 'family' gathering and Chloe wished beyond anything else that Lois was here with her.

TBC...

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	19. Chapter 19

Fic: Chloe/Oliver – Penance 19/?

Title: Penance 19/?

Author:Cking1575

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, sorry this is such a short chapter but R/L has kept me so busy that I haven't finished typing up the next part. Originally, this was going to be a longer post but I've decided to break it up into two separate posts that way you guys don't have to wait for me to finish typing. Besides, I've also been working on a couple of other stories that have been driving me crazy...keep your eyes out for a sequel to Green Arrow Fan Fiction? I should have that posted in a couple of days and maybe a couple of one shots. Anyway, I will get the next part of this out ASAP. :) Thanks for reading!

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Chloe sighed at the sight of all her guys as she stood just outside the doorway. She dropped her eyes from them and looked down at her now bandaged hands. She hadn't meant to hurt herself and maybe Emil was right; maybe she really did need to talk to someone about what happened to her. She made a promise to herself that once Davis was caught and brought to justice that she would follow Emil's advice and seek out professional help.

Chloe nearly jumped out of her skin when Oliver's hand covered her own. She had not heard him approach her; she was so lost in thought.

"Easy there, Sidekick, what were you thinking so hard about? I could practically hear the wheels in your brain turning from across the room." He asked ducking his head to her level trying to capture her eyes with his.

"Everything, Hero." She said softly. "I'm thinking about everything. I'm thinking about you, the guys, about what just happened, about what Emil said, and Davis…everything." She looked at him.

"Huh, it sounds like your brain is working on overdrive. Want to talk about any of it?" He asked gently.

"What I want is to concentrate on finding and capturing Davis. I want him brought in. Did you manage to go over the plan that Clark and I came up with?"

"Yeah, and I've got to tell you, it's brilliant. You amaze me, ya'know that, Sidekick." He said as he wrapped his arms around her, turning her so that she was facing him.

"Me? Why do I amaze you, Hero? There's nothing special about me." She looked up at him surprised.

He chuckled, "You are amazing, Chloe. Your strength, your determination, your resilience set you apart from all others, but your heart, your kindness, your love for life draws everyone, me included, to you. I love you." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "So, are you going to tell me what else you've been thinking about?" He looked at her knowingly. She looked up at him quickly, how did he do that? She wondered. It was almost as if he could read her mind.

"How do you do that, Oliver?" She asked him.

"What?" He replied.

"That, what you just did. You always do that. You always know when I'm thinking about more than what I tell you. How do you read my mind like that? Do you have a special ability that you are keeping hidden?" She asked completely serious.

"It was written all over your face, Sidekick. I know you miss her. I could have her brought here to you, you know. She already knows about me being the Green Arrow. I'm sure that she's already figured out that the other guys that I've been hanging out with are special too. But I'm sure that if we tell the guys that you need her that they wouldn't mind her knowing about them too. Although, we may have a small problem with Clark; he might have a problem with letting Lois into the club. He's still in the denial phase of their relationship." He chuckled and Chloe smiled.

"I know, I just don't know how to make him understand that she'll be ok with his secret…she will find out eventually on her own if he doesn't tell her. I am sure that she already suspects something. I know Lois, and she's not as dumb as some people think she is, right Oliver." She smiled up at him, knowing that he had first hand experience with Lois's insatiable need for the truth. He looked at her sheepishly and grinned. She took her eyes from his as she looked at Clark, who was talking with Bruce in the corner of the room, "But to get him to actually admit that he has feelings for Lois, well that's damn near going to be impossible." She giggled and Oliver smiled. He had seen the chemistry between the two of them when he had first met Clark. "In all honesty, Hero, I really would love to have Lois here with me, by my side…but now is just not the time."

"Just say the words, Sidekick, and I'll send AC or Vic to Ecuador to get her and bring her to you. You know she's there with Jimmy covering that election, right?"

She made a face at the mention of her ex-husband. She wasn't too happy about her cousin and her ex working together but it wasn't her call. "Yeah, I know. Thanks for the offer, Hero, but no, let her cover her story. I'll be ok and I'll see her when she comes home. I think it'll be best for all involved if Lois Lane stays out of the country. We could get things done quicker if we didn't have to do it in secret and it would just take too long to get her up to speed."

"Are you sure, Sidekick?" He asked still a bit uncertain.

"Yeah, I'm sure, Hero, thanks." She leaned in and went up on her tip toes and kissed him lightly on his lips, "You know, Emil, gave me a couple of names of some women who specializes in the…the trauma that I went through." She said softly lowering her head, the shame of letting Davis rape her weighed her down like a brick made of lead.

"Don't." Oliver said to her and put his finger under her chin raising her head to look at him. "Don't lower your head in shame over this, Chloe. You have nothing to feel shameful about. This was done to you; you didn't let it happen." Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears; she vowed to not let them fall she had done enough crying about this. "What were you saying about those women, Sidekick?" Oliver asked trying to ease her back into talking to him.

She cleared her throat softly, "Well, Emil gave me some numbers to call and I think that once we catch Davis; I just might call. And I was wondering what you thought about that idea?" She asked him hesitatingly.

"Sidekick, if it will help you heal then I am all for it. Emil is trustworthy. If he suggested these other doctors, you can trust his recommendations. I'll even go with you to the appointments if you want me to."

She looped her arms around his neck and rested her head upon his chest. His arms tightened around her waist. "I love you, Hero…so much, so much." She said. Then she looked up at him and pulled his lips to her in a very tentative kiss. He kissed her back gently only to be interrupted by Bart making gagging noises.

"Awe, come on, I just ate. Why, oh why, do you need to do that out here in the open? I vote that we ban Ollie and Chloe from any type of P.D.A. in HQ or anywhere else besides their room!" Chloe giggled and Oliver smiled yet they remained kissing just to annoy Bart.

"Oh COME ON! Ewww, come up for air already!" Bart exclaimed.

"Oh shut it you, and turn your eyes back to the game! Leave them alone." AC said as he hit Bart upside the back of his head.

Chloe and Oliver couldn't stop the laughter as it escaped and they burst out laughing. Clark and Bruce, who were discussing Bruce's role in the upcoming mission, walked over to the couple and smiled at them.

"BRUCE!" Chloe greeted him with a hug and he lifted her off the floor letting her feet dangle in the air as he squeezed her in a bear hug.

"Hey there, Blondie, did you miss me?" She smiled at him as he set her back down onto her feet.

"Oh very much, Bruce! Thank you for coming so quickly." She smiled at him.

"Well, how could I not? Hmmm, especially when you told me about what was going on over here; though you seemed to have left out some of the details to your story." He looked at her pointedly, the way Clark's father would when he would catch her doing something that she knew she shouldn't have been doing.

"I know." She said softly and tried so hard to keep her head held up, like Oliver said but the weight of the hurt and shame pulled it down.

Like Oliver, Bruce put his finger under her chin and lifted her head so that she was looking at him. "I want you to know, that if you ever need me for anything, be it an ear to listen or a fist to beat up this blond menace here, I'm your man, ya hear that, Blondie. All you have to do is call me." He said sincerely.

"Thanks, Bruce." She said softly.

"You're welcome. So, I've got to tell you that I am quite impressed with this team you have going on here. Good job, Watchtower." He smiled at her.

"Hey, wait a second!" Oliver chuckled and stepped in good naturally, "I picked these guys. I brought them all here. I created this team; don't I get any credit here? She was the last member to join MY team."

Bruce chuckled, "But Brother, without your Watchtower, your team was incomplete. She was the missing piece of the puzzle that has not only made you personally whole again, but has made your team what it is today. Therefore, the compliment belongs to Chloe; for all that she has brought to the team. It was she that has made the team what it is."

"Ya'know Brother, your logic is dizzying." Oliver said as he wrapped his arm around Chloe's waist pulling her to him, "But you were right, she has made me whole again." He kissed her temple.

"So Clark and I've been talking about what I'm going to have to do, but I think that it's getting late and maybe we should all adjourn for the night and get some rest. It's been a long day and tomorrow we can go over the rest of the details with fresh eyes." Bruce said.

"Well, you're staying here, right Bruce? You can have the guest room down the hall. There's fresh linen in the closet, make yourself at home. I was thinking of calling out for some pizza for dinner. How about we all have dinner and relax for the rest of the evening? Everyone game?" Oliver looked around the room at everyone and they were nodding yes.

"Sounds like a plan." Clark said and he smiled at Chloe. It really did feel like a family here at Oliver's place. He didn't realize just how much he had missed that feeling until it had crept up on him just then.

"Good." Oliver said as he made his way to the kitchen, "Sidekick, where'd we put that take out menu from Pizza Mia?" He turned around and smiled at Bruce, "Brother, this place has the most AMAZING pizza I've ever tasted, Chloe brought me there and I haven't been able to eat any other pizza since." Chloe smiled and walked past Oliver into the kitchen, there was a bit of rummaging through a draw and then she emerged with menu in hand.

"How did you ever manage without me, Hero?" She asked as she walked over to his side.

He wrapped his arm around her and looked down at her and smiled, "I have no idea, how I managed before you. I really can't remember my life before you."

"That was cheesy, Oliver, even by your standards." She chuckled at him and he made a face at her.

"What? Does this mean that you won't call in the order, Sidekick?" He asked trying to give his best puppy dog expression but the smile he had ruined it. Chloe just giggled at him.

"Nope, you are on your own, I'm going to go play video games with my guys."

"But hey, I thought that I was your guy?" He said to her as she slipped out of his embrace. She kissed his cheek and then walked over to the couch. The three guys made room for her.

"You are, but they are my guys too, Oliver, you've got to learn how to share." She said over the back of the couch, she was now sandwiched between AC and Bart.

"Yeah, Ollie, share." Bart turned and winked at him.

"I don't think she meant it like that, Bart." Oliver chuckled as Chloe gave Bart a stern look that only a mother could give to a petulant child.

"Bart!" She said.

"What?" He raised his hands in question, "Can't blame a guy for trying." He said as he looped his arm around her shoulder and once her attention was centered on the game, he looked over his shoulder at Oliver and bobbed his head as to say silently, "Oh yeah." But just as his head bobbed Chloe reached up and removed his arm from around her causing Bart to sulk and Oliver, Clark, and Bruce to burst into laughter.

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TBC...

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading! :)


	20. Chapter 20

Title: Penance 20/?

Author:Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, I hope this tides you over for a few days, I have family coming out to visit me for about 10 days and I know there won't be a lot of time to write. I'm sorry that I have to leave you guys hanging like this. But on a positive note, it seems like we are coming to the end of this journey. :) Only a few more chapters before this fic is going to be complete. I really hope you like this chapter. I am trying to weave in the Smallville episodes story line a little.

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The sun rose and with it so did Oliver. Oliver quietly got up out of bed; slowly he extracted himself from Chloe. He decided that he was going to let her sleep in; she needed to get some rest. It was going to be another long day today. They were going to go over the fine details of the plan and hopefully start working on the plan. But he wanted Chloe to have one lazy morning especially after what had happened last night.

He walked out of his room, closing the door quietly so that he wouldn't wake Chloe. The smell of bacon and coffee drew him to the kitchen. Standing showered and dressed for the day was Bruce. He had breakfast and coffee already made. It looked like he had been up for hours, and it was only 7 in the morning.

"Morning." Oliver grumbled as he headed for the coffee pot. Bruce chuckled at his sleepy friend.

"Morning, Brother, did you sleep well?"

"Like a log and Chloe is still sleeping thankfully. I don't think I managed to thank you last night for everything. I really appreciate that you came to Metropolis to help me out. Thank you, Brother, really, thanks." Oliver looked into his coffee cup and watched the steam rise from the mug.

"You're welcome. Really, you know that I would do anything for you. You are my brother. And Chloe, she holds a special place in my heart too. I really hate what happened to her."

"Yeah me too. I want to kill that son of a bitch. But that wouldn't help her. It would help me, make me feel better, but it wouldn't do anything for her. And she is my priority right now. Bringing Davis Bloome to justice is the only way that she will get closure for what he did to her. I am going to do just that; I'm going to bring that sorry piece of shit in and I am glad that you will be by my side for this. Not that I don't think my team and I could handle it, but I am grateful for the back up."

Bruce walked over to Oliver and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know, if you ever need me for anything, you can call me. I will drop everything I am doing if you need me. I want you to know that."

"I do, Brother, I really do." Oliver put his hand on Bruce's hand gave it a squeeze and got up to get more coffee. "Hey is that bacon I smell?" Oliver stomach rumbled letting them know that it was now awake too and looking to be feed. The guys' laughter rang through the apartment pulling Chloe from her slumber. She slowly got herself up and made her way to Oliver's bathroom, surprised for a moment by the missing mirror but as she went to go turn on the water she saw her hands still bandaged and the memory of what happened the night before came flooding back to her.

"I'm still here, Chloe." Davis's voice seemed to whisper to her. She shut her eyes trying to block out his voice. "You can't escape me, Chloe. I'm going to come for you. I'm going to take what is mine. You are mine, Chloe…mine."

She pressed her bandaged covered hands to her ears to block out his voice and squeezed her eyes as tightly as she could. She was not going to let what happened last night happen again. She was stronger than that monster. She was going to beat this. She fought the tears welling in her eyes, only one tear managed to escape. She was not going to cry about this anymore. Tears did not wash away the pain or cleanse her of the wrong that was done to her. No, she was going to get justice for what he had done. She opened her eyes, and removed her hands from her ears. She looked into the empty frame that once held the mirror that she saw him in. In a clear, controlled voice she softly said, "I am NOT yours. I belong to NO one. I will beat you, Davis. I vow to myself. I will no longer cower to you. I am stronger than you are. I am going to win this fight! I am not escaping. I am not running. I am going to fight and I am going to win. This is a promise…to me." She unwrapped her hands slowly so that she didn't reopen her cuts and she tossed the bandages into the trash can. She plastered a smile onto her lips and with one last look at the empty mirror frame; she turned and walked out of the bathroom with her head held high.

Chloe walked out to the kitchen and she was greeted by two smiling faces. One face belonged to the man who held her heart and the other belonged to his adopted older brother. The smile that she had plastered on her face as she left the bathroom swiftly changed from a fake to a real one. The bond between Oliver and Bruce was very visible to anyone who takes the time to look. She took a seat next to Oliver at the breakfast counter and stole a piece of bacon from his plate.

"Hey, Sidekick, that's mine." He tried to pout at her but he couldn't keep the smile from working its way onto his face.

"Oh, you weren't going to eat this, were you?" She smiled at him as she munched on his bacon.

"Guess not, now." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. It was a very intimate gesture, but one that she did not object to. She loved being around Oliver, there was just something about him that made her feel safe, protected, and loved. Her smile grew in size as she watched him get up and get her a cup of coffee. He headed back to his seat with it and a new plate full of eggs and more bacon. He gave her the new plate and placed the coffee down for her. He then stole a piece of bacon from her plate and quickly put it into his mouth before she could object. She didn't; and she wouldn't have objected. She leaned over and just placed a loving kiss onto his cheek and then smiled at Bruce who had quietly watched the whole exchange.

"So, when are the rest of the guys going to get here?" She asked as she put a fork full of scrambled eggs into her mouth. "MMMmmmm. Oh my God, these are delicious." She said.

"Thank you. I pride myself on my cooking ability. Actually, it's Alfred who prides himself on my cooking ability. Without him, I wouldn't have ever touched a pan in my life, let a lone crack an egg."

"Well then, you should both be commended on your scrambled eggs, Bruce, they are delicious!" Bruce smiled at her compliment. He was telling her the truth, that had it not been for Alfred's persistence, he would never have learned how to cook. If it weren't for Alfred, he wouldn't have learned a lot of things or even turned out the way he had. Spending this time with Oliver and his team made him realize just how much he truly owed to Alfred and how blessed he really was to have Alfred in his life. He owed Alfred a lot and when he got back to Gotham he was going to show Alfred just how much he really means to him.

Everyone began to arrive at Oliver's apartment around 8 am which gave Chloe, Oliver, and Bruce plenty of time to enjoy their breakfast before the human garbage disposal, also know as Bart Allen AKA Impulse arrived. Luckily for Victor and AC they also got there before Bart and were able to get some of Bruce's cooking, but poor Clark missed out; which was fine for him, since he had already eaten at the farm. Once they were all fed and everyone was full, except for Bart who never got his full of food, they all got down to business. It was time to put their plan into motion.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Plan step one: Acquire Tess Mercer's Finger Prints for sealed vault where the Kryptonite is stored.**

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Victor was at the Metropolis Queen Industries Offices plugged into Oliver's mainframe. AC, Bruce, and Oliver pulled up to the curb of The Daily Planet. AC was taking a sip of water as he drove them up to the front of the building. Bart and Clark were staying at Oliver's apartment. Chloe was not going to be left alone until Davis Bloome was apprehended and put away for good. From here on out she was going to have a body guard at all times, everyone was in complete agreement on it except for Chloe. She was adamant that she didn't need babysitters, but Oliver and the guys out numbered her. For once the guys had all agreed on something. Chloe needed to be protected. She was priority number one.

"Ok Brother, here we go." Bruce said to Oliver who was staying in the limo behind the tinted windows.

"Good Luck, remember she's a tough egg to crack. Play it cool and you should be fine…don't over do it. She'll be able to see right through you. And for god sakes don't DRINK my wine! I was saving this for a special occasion."

"You know, I think I may have done this once or twice before. Why don't you relax and let a pro handle this." Bruce smiled at Oliver as he reached in and took the bottle of wine from him. "Oh and thanks for the loaner, a 64…that was a great year."

"Yeah, I know. I spent a fortune to get that bottle so that I could enjoy it with someone special."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that; a nice cold beer would have been just fine for me. I'll be sure to tell you how it tastes." Bruce grinned at Oliver as he shut the door just before he could get out of the limo.

"Batman to Watchtower," Bruce said into the mike hidden in the collar of his dress shirt, "mission is a go. Entering The Daily Planet. Over."

"Watchtower to Batman, watch your back. She's a snake in tiger skin. Over."

"Roger that, Tower. Going silent. I'll contact you once the mission is complete or if I run into trouble. Over."

"Roger, Batman."

"Watchtower to Arrow. Over." She called to Oliver who was going to be Bruce's back up should he need it.

"Arrow here, Tower. Over."

"Arrow, you are on standby. Batman is heading into the tiger's cage. Over."

Oliver chuckled at the image that Chloe had presented to his imagination.

"Arrow on standby and not really liking the waiting, Tower. Over."

"Sorry Arrow, but such is life. Over."

"I'll remember that comment and address it later, Tower. Over"

"Oooohhh, I'm quaking in my boots. Over."

"You aren't wearing boots. Over."

"Point to you then. Over." He chuckled as he heard her switch over to another frequency.

"Watchtower to Cyborg. Over"

"Cyborg here, Tower. Over"

"Batman is initiating contact with the tigress. Standby to receive transmission. Over."

"Cyborg on standby, Tower. I hope he gets a thumb print. Over."

"Yeah, that would be nice. That would make your job of reconstructing her print all that much easier. Over."

"Yeah, if he gets a thumb print then I won't have to do a thing. Over."

"Ok Cyborg, standby. I will contact you once I've heard something."

"Aquaman to Watchtower. Over"

"Yes Aquaman. Over."

"Arrow is being a big baby in the backseat, can you tell him to knock it off please. Over"

"Aquaman, you are in the driver's seat. Put up the partition and ignore Arrow. I will talk to him. Over" Chloe shook her head and chuckled, sometimes she really did feel like a den mother to a bunch of little boys.

"Watchtower to Arrow. Over." She sighed.

"Arrow here. Over."

"Stop being a baby, Arrow and behave yourself. This mission is running smoothly, but I really should be monitoring Batman, not playing referee between you and Aquaman. Now behave. Over."

"Yes, Tower. Over." He said like a little boy who was scolded by his mother.

"Thanks man! Can't believe you ratted me out like that!" He yelled at AC, but AC never got to reply because Chloe did for him.

"I heard that Arrow. Over."

"Shit! Ahhh, yeah. Sorry Tower, behaving now. Over."

Bruce was listening to the chatter over the com with a smile on his face in the elevator on his way up to Tess's office. Once he stepped out of the elevator and entered the office he wiped the jovial smile from his face and replaced it with a very professional business smile. He greeted Tess's assistant pleasantly. He was going to save his charm for the one behind the door.

"I'm here to see Ms. Mercer." He said politely.

"I'm sorry, but do you have an appointment, Mr…"

"Wayne. Bruce Wayne of Gotham. You may have heard of me, I own a little business over there and I would like to speak with Ms. Mercer about a business proposition."

"Well, I am sorry Mr. Wayne, but Ms. Mercer is not in at the moment."

"Well then, I will just have a seat in her office and wait for her." He said as he walked past the stunned young woman.

"Wait! You can't go in there. You are not authorized." She called after Bruce as he walked right through the door into Tess's office. "Oh Ms. Mercer, I am sorry he just barged right in. I couldn't stop him."

"It's alright, Abby. Sometimes men such as Mr. Wayne here can be a force of nature. He won't be long. Thank you, Abby close the door please."

"Yes, ma'am." She watched Bruce, never taking her eyes from him as he walked across the room towards her.

"Your assistant said that you were out. If your assignment was to insult a potential business partner you get an A plus." Bruce said as he entered Tess's office and handed her a bottle of wine.

Tess blinked, the only outward sign that she acknowledge his presence in her office besides her holding the bottle of wine, "And you flunked getting the hint." She snarked at Bruce as he walked over to the cabinet in the corner of the room and got two wine glasses. "I don't have time for a wine tasting, Mr. Wayne. If you hadn't noticed I am trying to run a world wide newspaper."

Bruce looked over at her and smiled his most charming smile. "It's Bruce please, as former acquaintances we can definitely do without all the formalities. Corporate Titans such as we, need to learn how to multitask. It's all business, Tess, I can call you Tess, can't I, Ms. Mercer?"

Instead of simply replying to his question about her name, she coyly looked over to the bottle of wine that he handed to her. "This is not a quarterly report," she said as her eyes glance over the label of the wine.

"The wine is a '64 Char do Soleil from my personal stock. I only bring it out for occasions such as these." He said as he sat down across from her.

"Such as these?" She asked as she raised her eyebrow at him.

"Yes, occasions when I must woo a potential partner." He smiled again charmingly at her. "You seem like very perceptive women. I like that in a woman, it's a turn on." He eyed her appraisingly, a look that did not go unnoticed by Tess.

"Well, if I remember correctly from all the articles that I've read, when it comes to the opposite sex, there's little that doesn't turn you on, Bruce." She forced herself to use his name and it came out bitingly.

Bruce chuckled a little, "Actually I'm partial to strong-willed red heads that can give as good as she gets. Much like yourself. Interested?" He leaned in a little.

Tess couldn't stop the smile that his charm coaxed from her, "Nice try, but I'm still busy and I am still not interested." She said as she handed him back his unopened bottle of wine.

He feigned disappointment but in reality he was quite excited, he knew that he had at least two viable finger prints on the bottle from her, but he needed to continue his charade until he had at least gotten to the elevator. "But this is to celebrate the potential merger of the two most powerful news conglomerates, The Daily Planet and The Gotham Gazette. At least have one glass with me."

"Sorry Bruce," she signed in annoyance, "but at the moment I really am busy and I really do need to get back to what I was doing before you barged in here. So," she tilted her head towards the door, trying very politely not to tell him to get the hell out of her office. It wouldn't be good for future business if she pissed off the head of one of the most important and influential people in the business world. Bruce Wayne may be a noted playboy but he was also a very shrewd business man.

"Yeah, I get it." He stood from his seat, "You're busy." He retrieved the wine bottle from the side table where she had put it and looked sadly at the bottle, "Boy, I've got to tell you that it's a shame 'ya know?" She titled her head waiting for him to continue. He looked down at the bottle, held carefully in his hands so he would smudge her finger prints then over at her. His dark eyes captured hers in his penetrating gaze, "It's a Soleil from my private collection, and I was very much looking forward to opening it, especially with a woman as captivating as you. I was just thinking that we could take the afternoon off and oh pop the cork?" He smiled seductively at her, his hidden innuendo not nearly as hidden as he thought.

She smiled tightly, when will these mogul types ever learn that she did not have to sleep her way to the top she thought. She just clawed her way and used men like Bruce Wayne as her scratching post. "Keep your cork. I'm all set with the Soleil and the cork. Now, I really am busy and you so obviously know where the door is, I would really appreciate you finding your way out."

Bruce smiled brightly, it wasn't every day that he got turned down, but he did find this witchy woman intriguing, but not nearly enough to really pour on his charm. He got what he wanted from the feisty red head. "Your loss." He said as he headed for the door. He left her office and swiftly made his way to the elevator. Once the elevator door closed he pulled out the green scanner that Oliver lent him. As he scanned the bottle for finger prints, Bruce shook his head and smiled, of course it had to be green he thought. He would bet his last dollar that Oliver had purposely given him the green scanner just to bust him for leaving his behind. His smile got wider when the scanner beeped at him alerting him to the fact that one finger print had been found and that it was none other than the right thumb print of one Tess Mercer. "Gotcha, Kitten."

"Batman to Watchtower. Mission Complete. Over."

"Watchtower to League, Mission Complete, everyone return to HQ. Over."

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"SMALLVILLE!" She yelled out of breath as soon as she stepped off the porch looking for Clark. She had already searched his whole house and found no one inside. She saw his truck still parked in the same place. Her car deliberately parked behind his truck so that he couldn't escape her wrath by that means.

"SMALLVILLE!! I know you're here! Come out; come out where ever you are. Olly…Olly Oxen free! Come on, Smallville, come out here and face me like a man!" She called him out.

"Lois?" Clark called back to her questioning his eye sight as he walked out of the barn. "Lois, what are you doing here?"

"Well, that's a fine 'how do ya do, Clark" She said as she began to walk over to meet him.

"You know what I mean. I thought that you were supposed to be in Ecuador covering that election. You were supposed to be there for another week. So, forgive me, if I seem a bit surprised to see you." He said to her sullenly.

"I was in Ecuador, Clark; as a matter of fact Jimmy's still there covering it for me. We'll write it up together once he gets back. You know it's funny that you mention my unexpected return, Clark. Because you know why I returned?" She asked him sweetly and unconsciously Clark took a step backward. Lois Lane was never sweet with him. It was his signal that there was a storm brewing just below the surface, and unfortunately for him it seemed that hurricane Lane was heading in his direction. Lois smiled as she watched Clark retreat a step. "So, Clark, do you know why I returned from an assignment that could have made me a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter?"

"Ahh no, Lois, I have no idea." He gulped again, knowing that there was no stopping this; he was just going to have to ride out this storm and hope for the best. "Why have you come home early?"

"Well, let me tell you why." She advanced on him, backing him up to the wall of the house. Still she spoke to him as sweetly as Lois could. "I rushed back from the assignment of a life time because I heard over the wire that Chloe's missing. Oh but that's not all," she held up her hand to forestall his retort, "get this, she's wanted for questioning as a person of interest by the police because they believe that she is the accomplice of the serial killer Davis Bloome." She laughed humorously, "So, I rushed back to talk to my cousin, to be reassured that she's ok and that all of what I heard over the wire was just Inquisitor garbage. But do you know what I found, Clark?" She looked at him for an answer. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times before he could speak. He was the strongest man on Earth, yet here he stood afraid of this one tiny woman. Not even Chloe could make him feel like this.

"No Lois, what did you find?" He asked.

Her eyes narrowed into angry slits and if it were possible she got even closer to him. And softly she answered him, "Not my cousin, Clark. She's no where to be found. I landed at Metropolis International and immediately flagged a cab and headed to Isis. What I found there frightened me more than anything I have ever seen in my life. Her office was completely destroyed, Clark…destroyed not trashed, not messed up, no…destroyed. Her desk was a pile of toothpicks, there were holes in the walls, filing cabinets over turned, and her door was torn from its hinges. So, I rushed to my apartment and grabbed my car and broke every speed limit from Metropolis to Smallville to get to her apartment, and you know what I found." She didn't wait for his answer. "Not my cousin, Clark." He voice rose an octave, "She's no where. Her car's at the Talon but not Chloe. So, I figure, there's got to be only one other place she could be, right? The Kent Farm." She threw her hands up in the air. "So, I drive out here, run into your house, expecting to find my little cousin sitting on your couch, but guess what, Clark?" This time she waited for his answer.

"Ahh, she's not here?" Hoping that he said the right thing, but taking one look at her he knew that he hadn't.

"You're right. She's not here. She's no where to be found!" Her voice started to rise in volume and Clark's face began to cringe. "Yet, here you are doing you chores around the farm as if NOTHING has happened to MY COUSIN!" She poked him in the chest.

"Ahh, now Lois," he started.

"Yeah, 'ahhh' nothing, Clark. Either you know something that no one else knows…like WHERE my cousin is, or you just don't care anymore about what happens to her. I am leaning towards the former rather than the latter because I am fully aware of how close you two are. My questions for you are when something happened to Chloe, why didn't you call me? Why didn't you let me know she was missing? How could you let me find out that she was in trouble by hearing it over the wire? I thought that we were friends, Clark. You know how important she is to me. A heads up would have been nice, but I guess I don't even register a blip on the Clark Kent radar of consideration. Thanks for that, glad to know where I stand with you." She was more than hurt and Clark felt like a heel for not warning her about Chloe.

"Lois, please I thought that I would have found her, had her back, and everything straightened out before you got home. There really was no reason to call you and get you upset. I'm sorry. It's not that I wasn't thinking about you, because I was, it was just I thought that it would have all been handled by the time you returned. I'm sorry, really I am."

"Sorry, Clark? She's already been missing for seven days! A WHOLE week!!! Do you know what he could have already done to her?!"

"Yes Lois, I know what could have happened to her, actually if you stop yelling at me for one minute…" she looked at him like he had lost his mind, but motioned with her hand for him to carry on with what he was saying and that she was listening. "I was going to tell you that you were right. I know where she is. I found her Friday night and she's in a safe place hidden away from Davis Bloome." The way Clark practically spit Davis's name from his mouth, Lois knew that something terrible must have happened to Chloe.

"So, why is it, Clark, that if she's safe, she's still listed as missing and wanted by the police for questioning? Clark, take me to her." She ordered him.

"I'm sorry, Lois, I can't" He cringed. He knew by telling her no that she was just going to start yelling again or worse, she was going to go off and do something stupid.

"You can't or you won't, Clark?" She said evenly, alerting Clark that he was balancing precariously close to the edge with her.

"I can't Lois. She's in protective custody. We're hiding her until Davis Bloome's been captured and turned over to the authorities. There is more to Davis Bloome's story than you realize. It seems that he's obsessed with her. Something happened to him and when he's not around Chloe, he turns into some kind of beast like thing. She's not safe until he's been captured. So, she's in hiding."

"Wait a second, if she's not in police custody then who's hiding her? Who's the other half of this 'we' that you are talking about? Who's keeping her safe, Clark? Who's out looking for this guy?"

"Friends are keeping her safe, Lois. But until Davis has been caught I can't take you to her. I can't jeopardize her safety to take you to her. I am sorry, Lois, please understand." He looked at her pleadingly, his baby blue eyes beseeching her to understand.

"Oh, I understand, Smallville, I understand a lot more than you give me credit for. I'll find my cousin, Clark, you just wait." She was so angry with Clark for keeping her in the dark where her cousin was concerned. Chloe was in trouble and Clark was standing in the way of her helping Chloe. All her pent up rage and helplessness was aimed at one target, and that target was a 6 foot something man standing in front of her.

"Lois! Please, you'd put Chloe's life in danger to satisfy your own selfish curiosity?" Once the words left his mouth he knew that they were the wrong words to say to her when she was this upset.

"Selfish? I want to make sure that MY cousin is safe; is ok. I want to help her. I know she needs me right now, Clark. I know it, I feel it. Is it selfishness to want to help keep your family safe? Well, if I am guilty of that then so is everyone else in the world. She is MY cousin, MY family, MY best friend and you have NO right to withhold her from me! You have no right Clark, to keep me in the dark when her life is on the line! If you won't help me find a way to her then I'll do it myself." She said to him as she got into her car and sped away, most likely heading back to Metropolis and to the Daily Planet.

"Great." Clark said as he pulled out his cell to call Chloe. He wanted to let them know that Mad Dog Lane was on the case and that they may have a problem. Chloe picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Chlo." Clark said.

"Umm Clark, this really isn't a good time to chat. Oliver and the boys just left to help Bruce." She said into her cell but never took her eyes from the computer screen.

"Well, I think we may have a problem, Chloe. Lois is back."

"What? I thought that she wasn't due back in the country for another week or so."

"Yeah well, Lois heard over the wire that you were missing and in trouble with the law so she headed back here as soon as she could. She's determined to help out her cousin."

"Oh no. How do you know this, Clark?" She said worriedly, poor Lois must be out of her mind with worry over her.

"Well, I just got a visit from Mad Dog Lane herself. And she's not too happy with me at the moment."

"Well, Clark we can't have her looking into this right now, you will have to go stall her."

"Me? Why me? She's mad at me right now." He whined causing Chloe to giggle.

"Because Clark, one you can go to her under the pretenses of apologizing. Two, you work with her at the Daily Planet, so you can make sure that she's not getting herself into trouble. And three, we need time to get everything in motion, the end game is coming. And with Lois on the case, Lord knows how much time we'll have before she figures it out and trips up our plan. You have to stall her; you are the only one who can. Look Clark, I have to get back to Oliver and the guys. Do what you have to throw her off the scent, ok."

"Fine. But I want you to know that I wouldn't willing walk into the lion's den for just anyone, Chloe. You owe me." Clark could feel her smile through the phone.

"Aww, Clark, I love you too. I've got to go. I'll see you back at Oliver's later." And she hung up, leaving Clark to figure out a way to distract Lois on his own.

"Great." He murmured to himself as he walked into his house. He showered quickly and changed clothes and got the keys to his truck.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**Plan step two: Acquire Black Kryptonite from Tess Mercer's sealed vault in her personal suite at the Luthor mansion in Smallville**

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It was completely dark out when Bruce left Oliver's apartment insisting that he could handle getting the black Kryptonite from Tess's vault on his own. He did posses a skill or two of his own, he explained to them. Dressed completely in his Black leather bat suit, he quickly but silently made his way to the Luthor mansion in Smallville.

"East Corridor secure." The security guard reported as he passed under Batman. Bruce stealthily dropped from his place on the ceiling from behind the guard, ran up to him and grabbed the unsuspecting man from behind in a sleeper hold. He dragged the unconscious man off to a room on the darkened end of the corridor and locked him inside. He then proceeded swiftly and quietly into what was once Lex's private suite but now was Tess's personal bedroom. This was the room in which the vault holding the Black Kryptonite was in. Slowly he scanned the room looking for the place where Lex would have hidden the vault. He walked over to the full length mirror and ran his fingers from the bottom edge up to about midway. It was there that he found the button. He pressed the button and the mirror slid aside to reveal the vault that he was looking for. He pulled out his scanner that held Tess's finger prints and pulled up her thumb print. He held the borrowed green scanner in front of the vault finger scanner. It scanned the copy and with a low beep and a click the vault opened to reveal a virtual plethora of Kryptonian artifacts. Green Meteor rocks, Kryptonite of various sizes and shapes were placed though out the vault. Bruce quickly scanned the vault for the black Kryptonite; he found it partially hidden on the middle shelf between a leather bound journal and one of the various meteor rocks.

As he was examining the Black Kryptonite that he heard the outer door to the sitting room open and close.

"Shit!" he said, as he looked around the vault for a place to hide. But there was no place to hide. Quickly he shut the vault as quietly as he could. Tess was still out in the sitting room, he had maybe 30 seconds to come up with a plan of escape before she reached the inner bedroom. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He said as he scanned the room. He was immensely happy and surprised to see Oliver suspended at the window grinning like a mad man and waving at him. "Need a lift there, Batman?"

"Funny. Will that thing hold us both?" He said as he eyed Oliver's grappling hook.

"Guess, we'll see, soon enough. Tess's ETA 10 seconds. Get on."

Bruce got out the window just as Tess walked through the door. The only sign that he had been in her room was the billowing drapes by the window. She didn't suspect a thing as she sauntered to the window and shut it. If she had just looked up she would have seen Batman and the Green Arrow suspended precariously on a wire. Luckily for them, she didn't. Once the window was shut, Oliver hoisted the two of them up to the roof where he shot a repel line down to the ground and he and Bruce repelled down the opposite side of the mansion to where Victor was waiting with the van.

"Dude, how do you do this kind of thing a lone all the time?" AC asked from the passenger seat of the van. Oliver chuckled.

"You know, a lot of my work in Gotham isn't breaking and entering to steal rocks. Normally, I'm out battling evil on the streets." Bruce said darkly as he removed his cowl from his head.

"Yeah, well, Ollie does the same thing but he has a team to back him up with the really tough jobs." Oliver smirked, and this was why his team was his family, they never let him down.

"Yeah well that's all well and good but there are some of us who just like to work alone. Enough about this," he said as he changed the subject of his near escape to the black rock he held in his hand, "so this little black pebble is going to separate the man from the beast? Now, why am I finding this difficult to believe?" His voice held the skepticism that he felt.

"Because you haven't spent enough time in Smallville, that's why, Bruce. Trust me, the longer you hang around with Clark and Chloe the more you realize that it's just pointless to argue with them. They do know what they are talking about. When they say it will work; 9 out of 10 times it will and that one time it doesn't; yeah well, that's because you didn't do it exactly the way they told you to." Oliver said as the other guys snickered in the front seat.

"Cyborg to Watchtower. Arriving at the garage, Tower. See you in a few minutes. Over." Victor said to Chloe over the comm.

"Ok, boys, glad to hear that you have arrived safely. Boy Scout is still at the farm but will be heading to the Daily Planet. Seems that he's run into an intrepid reporter…think you may have heard of her…she goes by the call sign, Mad Dog Lane. Yeah, I guess she just found out that her beloved cousin has gone missing and she's taking her frustration out on Boy Scout. All I have to say is that I am glad it's him and not me. He may be a little late to our party. He's got to do damage control, Tower out." She giggled at Clark's predicament. The boys all felt Clark's pain, having been on the receiving end of a Lois Lane rant before.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Plan step three: Distract Mad Dog Lane from Finding Chloe before the completion of the original mission.**

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Once Lois left Clark at his farm she drove straight back to Metropolis. She decided before heading to the Daily Planet like she had planned on doing, she needed to stop at a couple of places first. She had stopped off at the police station to speak to a couple of her cop friends. They were just as tight lipped about this case as Clark was. She just couldn't believe that they suspected her cousin as Bloome's accomplice. After speaking to her cop friends she drove to her apartment and connected into one of the military satellites that her father had unknowingly given her access to one time when she went to visit him. If he ever found out about her using this satellite then he was going to kill her. She smiled when she thought about the look that Clark would have on his face if he ever realized that Chloe wasn't the only one in the family with mad computer skills. She frowned at the thought of her cousin. She wondered just what kind of mess she had gotten into this time, and who were the friends that where hiding her…keeping her safe. She knew that Chloe was doing some side work for Oliver and his group of costumed superheroes, so she surmised that they were the 'friends' helping her. What really started to bother her was how and why did Clark know anything about Oliver and his friends?

It was much later in the evening when Lois stormed into the bull pen in a whirl wind of anger and frustration. She couldn't find Chloe anywhere, it was almost like she had fallen off the face of the planet and she was more than a little concerned for her cousin. She was down right scared. She needed to clear her mind so she went to the bull pen of the Daily Planet, where the skeleton night crew would keep their distance from the aggravated reporter letting her do what she had to do with out any interruptions. She was wholly surprised to see Clark sitting at his desk, typing away at something on his computer. Her surprise turned to anger as she realized that he was sitting there while her cousin was probably roomed up in a sleazy motel room somewhere in Timbuktu. She found her emotional punching bag for the day, and his name was Clark Kent.

She stormed over to Clark and slammed her palms down on his desk trying to garner his attention, but Clark just kept typing up what ever he was typing which caused Lois to get angrier. "Chloe's missing with some Beasty boy out there stalking her, and you're sitting here doing nothing."

Clark sighed. "No one wants to find Davis Bloome more than I do." He says to her as he continues to type his good bye to Metropolis letter on his computer. He knew that there was a definite possibility that he wouldn't make it back from his battle with Doomsday and he wanted the people of Metropolis to understand that he had not just given up on them that he had fought to the end for them. He didn't want the hope that he had seen bubbling on the surface of the city pop if he were gone.

"Nobody except maybe me. Clark, I haven't slept in days and I am dangerously close to a caffeine O.D." She huffed as she walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself yet another cup of coffee. She sighed as the hot liquid burned its way down her throat and into her stomach. She knew that in a few minutes she would get her second…no her third wind and Chloe was out there somewhere and she needed her.

"I hadn't noticed." Clark said as he watched her stalk over to the coffee.

"Huh. Ok, want to as least let me in about this little novella that you're working on that's so important." She walked over to Clark leaving her coffee by the coffee pot and peered over his shoulder at the screen trying to see what he was writing.

"No." He says and Xes out of the screen so she can't see what he wrote.

"Great, another ricochet off the impenetrable force field. Forget it." She turned and walked back over to the coffee pot to get her cup of coffee when she turned back around Clark was gone. She was distracted from her dark thoughts of murdering Clark Kent by her phone ringing at her desk. She walked quickly over to answer it, hoping that it was Chloe.

"Hello….Chloe! Is this you? Chlo! Hello!"

A deep male distorted voice; one that she recognized from a previous call was on the other end of the line. Lois got goose bumps and griped the phone receiver tighter. "Miss Lane." Clark said through the voice distorter that he got from Oliver calling from the phone booth in the hallway. He never once took his eyes off of her.

"It's you." She breathed a sigh of relief at hearing the Red Blue Blur's voice. She knew that if anyone could help her find Chloe and save her from the beast then the Red Blue Blur was the one to do it.

"I know where your cousin, Chloe, is. She's safe, Miss Lane. I won't let anything happen to her."

"How'd you even know she was missing? How did you even know that I was looking for her?"

"I've been keeping an eye on you."

"To be honest, I was kind of hoping for that. But I didn't know how to call you and now all of a sudden here you are out of no where to save the day and I just…I'm rambling again. You just make me so, ahhh; I don't know how I'll be able to repay you for this."

"You can do me a favor. I need you to publish a letter for me."

"What letter?" There was a whoosh of wind, her papers went flying everywhere and her hair was blown completely in her face. Once she got her hair under control and out of her eyes, she saw on the monitor of her computer screen an envelope.

"You're here aren't you?" She asked him as she scanned the room for any sign of him.

Clark watched her grab the letter and immediately tear it open. "You're not supposed to open it yet." He said to her as she began to read the letter. He realized that nothing was going to stop her from reading the letter so he just sighed. "Can I count on you to publish that letter if anything happens to me?"

"Goodbye?" She can feel the panic begin to rise in her chest. "What do you mean goodbye?"

"Sometimes we can't out run our destiny." He said to her cryptically.

"But I thought you were invincible?"

"So did I?" He said softly. He watched as she continued to read his letter to the people of Metropolis and then saw her whole posture change as she finished the letter. Her back stiffened. She looked back at the letter then at the computer screen that he was just at. She looked around the room as though she were looking for someone.

"I want to meet you." She demanded. "I have to see your face. I have to see you. I want you to show me what you can't show anyone else. You can trust me, please." She pleaded; almost slipping and calling him Clark. She knew it was him. The letter confirmed it; she'd know his writing anywhere. She knew that he was hiding a secret…that all the Kents were keeping something hidden from her, but she had NEVER suspected it was something this big. She had always suspected that he was infected with the meteor rocks. Growing up in Smallville it would have been really hard not to be. Everything was beginning to make sense.

"I'm sorry, that's not a good idea." Clark said sadly. He really did want to tell her about who he really was. He knew that she could be trusted. It just wasn't safe for her to know who he really is. By knowing his secret she would be in more danger than she ever had put herself into.

"You can come through this, you have to. And when you do…how do you feel about phone booths?"

"They're fine." He says as he looks around the phone booth, nervous that she's spotted him.

"Umm, there's one on 4th and Main, let's say midnight. I'll be there. I hope you'll be there too. And thank you. If anyone can save Chloe, I know it's you." She silently added the name Clark to the end of that sentence. She didn't hang up the phone until she heard the tell tale click of him hanging up on his end. She smiled, knowing in her heart that the red blue blur was none other than Clark Kent himself. And she secretly hoped that if he did show up and did reveal himself to her, then maybe, just maybe they could finally take what's between them and start something incredible.

TBC…

A/N: Constructive feedback is always appreciated. :)


	21. Chapter 21

Title: Penance 21/?

Author: Smileeface

Fandom: Smallville AU

Pairings: Chloe/Oliver, Clark/Lois

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville/DC or the characters. I am just playing with them.

Summary: Penance: an act of self-abasement, mortification, or devotion performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin. I am really not like Chloe's story arc so I've decided to change it a little to suit my own needs. That's what fan fiction is right? LOL

A/N: Hey Guys, I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter out to you, I've been sort of blocked on a couple of key scenes, but I finally had a break through today, YAY! So, here's the next chapter. I really hope you like this chapter. I am still trying to weave in the Smallville story line a little.

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Clark watched as Lois sat down heavily in her chair. When he returned to his desk he looked at her and feigned ignorance of what had just transpired on the phone.

"Hey Lois, what's that you got there?" He asked as he pretended not to know what the letter in her hands said.

"Why don't you tell me, Smallville," she held the letter up for him to inspect but never relinquished it to him when he made a grab for it, "Where did you go?" she asked him as her eyes narrowed.

"Ahh, I had to use the rest room, if you must know. But I have no idea what that piece of paper is." He glanced at her quickly trying to hide behind the screen of his computer, he figured if she couldn't see his face then she couldn't see the lie written all over it…he was wrong. His acting guilty added fuel to her suspicions.

"Right…the bathroom." She pursed her lips into a pout; she knew he was lying to her which just confirmed her suspicion about the RBB in her mind. "Well, for your information, this is a letter from the RBB," she held up the letter and gave it a little shake in his direction, "I just got off the phone with him and he asked me to print this letter for him." Clark scoffed and laughed at her.

"Ok Lois, like the Red Blue Blur would really call you to just chat."

"I didn't say he called to just chat. I said that he called to ask me to print this letter."

He looked at her wary. "I think you are sleep deprived and are having delusions of grandeur, Lois. Maybe you should head home and get some rest."

"Or maybe I should stop wasting my time with you and go out there to look for my cousin." She stood up abruptly, glared angrily at Clark, and stormed out of the bull pen. Clark shook his head sorrowfully, he had not wanted to get Lois angrier with him, and hopefully once this whole situation was resolved he'd be able to smooth things over with her. Maybe Chloe was right. Maybe it was time to tell, yet another someone about his secret. As he sat at his desk pondering his dilemma, his police scanner beeped in with an all points bolo.

"All cars in the vicinity of Lakeshire and Main, dangerous suspect sighted. Proceed with caution. Suspect is wanted for questioning in a multiple murder investigation. Suspect could be armed and is considered extremely dangerous. Repeat, proceed with caution." The dispatcher's voice urgently called for back up.

"Davis." Clark whispered to himself. He quickly changed into his red jacket and jeans and super speeded to Lakeshire and Main. He realized that it was only about 5 minutes from Oliver's place where Chloe was only guarded by Bart since the others were probably still on their way back from Smallville and the mission at Lex's mansion. He quickly scanned the area using both his super hearing as well as his super vision. He had to find Davis before the police did. It would be a blood bath if he didn't. It didn't take long for him to spot Davis, skulking around the dark ally across the street from the coffee shop that Chloe once frequented daily. He was looking for her but by him being there reassured Clark that Davis had still not located her. Clark took a deep breath trying to calm the anger that rose within him. This was the man that hurt his friend. This was the man who had abused her. He took another deep breath and then he proceeded to cross the street.

Davis must have seen him and he took off running. Clark knew that he wouldn't be able to use his super speed until he was out of sight of the citizens of the city so he just double his 'human' speed and reached the dark alley. He scanned the alley and realized that he had lost Davis, who must have cut through one of the stores' back doors into the alley. So, now that he was alone, Clark stood in the center of the alley and used his X-ray vision to scan all the stores looking for Davis. He found Davis moving quickly through the kitchen of the Chinese place and he super speeded to the front door to block Davis's escape.

'This could work,' Clark thought to himself. He could capture Davis himself without the guys and then no one would have to get hurt. He could capture Davis and bring him to the fortress which he hopefully could 're-boot' in time to imprison Davis long enough for him to get Ollie or Bruce to the Fortress. They could use the black Kryptonite on him, and separate the man and the beast in relative safety, away from anyone who could get hurt. He could open the portal to the Phantom Zone and dispose of the beast known as Doomsday. Then he could take Davis to the Metropolis police and let the police take care of him. Chloe would be safe. His friends would be safe. Metropolis would be safe. And the world would be safe again. Doomsday would be averted. And he could then tell Lois who and what he was.

Davis saw Clark standing there at the door waiting for him. He wasn't going to go down without a fight. He turned around and took off running towards the back door once again this time knocking over tables and chairs and anyone who got in the way of his escape. Clark doubled back himself towards the alley, also aware of the fact that the police were probably really close to where they were. He had to get to Davis first. He had to get him before the police showed up. So as soon as Davis stepped out the back door of the restaurant Clark was there waiting for him. Clark grabbed Davis and the super speeded him off to a vacant lot on the out skirts of the city. He didn't know why he had stopped there and not continued on to the fortress, he just felt that he needed to tell Davis what he was going to do to him. He just felt that he needed Davis to know, to understand that he was going to be free once and for all from the beast that tormented him but he was still going to have to pay for his crimes. Later, Clark would tell everyone that he had made a huge mistake in stopping. He should have continued onto the fortress and explained everything there. Because little did Clark know; he had fallen into Davis's trap.

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Davis had found Chloe the day before. It was almost as if he had a mental GPS on her. He wasn't sure how he knew that she was in the huge clock building in the middle of the city, but he knew that she was there. His beastly awareness always pulsed stronger when she was near. He could almost feel her. And so he waited and he watched. He watched the different men that Chloe had known come and go from the building but still she didn't emerge. He was beginning to doubt his beastly instinct when he looked up to the last window before the clock and there she stood shrouded in silhouette but he would recognize her anywhere. With a sigh of relief he stood sentinel in the alley across from the clock building, he would bide his time. He would wait for the perfect moment to grab her. Being this close to her was actually holding the beast at bay again, so for now, lurking in the shadows was ok…for now.

So, Davis lurked and he plotted as the night slowly descended and by the time darkness had blanketed Metropolis he had a plan of action. He would have Chloe with him once again by this time tomorrow. He smiled in the darkness; his teeth eerily glowed in the darkness of the alley along with the red that began to bleed into his eyes. The beast was no longer content to be this far from her.

Davis knew that if he had wanted to get to Chloe he was going to have to dispose of her body guards. First guard to go would have to be Clark. He was the most powerful of the group of men that surrounded her. And luckily for Davis he knew exactly how to get rid of Clark.

Davis ran the few blocks to the building that housed Dr. Grohl's lab. He stood outside of the building and couldn't believe that it had only been a couple of weeks ago that he had once asked Chloe to kill him. But luckily for him that liquid meteor rock didn't, it had the opposite effect. It made him invincible, at least he hoped so; he still wasn't quite sure about that. He wasn't going to take any chances though and he knew that the ONLY person capable of even an attempt on his life was Clark. But now he had a way to incapacity him. The only thing he ever had against the other man was the fact that Clark was the one the Chloe always went to for help, and Clark was fully capable of keeping her from him. He needed to dispose of him and then the next one would be Oliver Queen and then that group of guys that hung around him.

Davis let his mind wander for a moment, imaging all the men that kept Chloe from him dead at his feet. He shook his head to clear the images in his mind. He was sure that his just standing in front of the building was drawing attention and he didn't need to be dealing with any cops right now…he didn't need to be dealing with anyone in his current condition. He could feel the blood lust creeping through his body. He was too far away from Chloe; the beast was beginning to claw at him from under his skin. He needed to hurry before the beast took over completely. He looked around to make sure that no one was watching what he was doing. When he realized that the only eyes that were watching him were the rats by the dumpster he reached out and pulled the door, easily snapping the chain that was keeping the door barred from any visitors.

Davis quickly entered the dark building and made his way to the lab that Chloe had brought him to. Amongst the sheet covered equipment he saw what he was looking for. He saw the container that contained the liquid meteor rock. With the meteor rock found he needed to find something to hold it, something that he could either put around Clark's neck or inject him with the liquid meteor rock. Davis began to frantically search the lab for something, anything that would hold the liquid. He was not disappointed. In a metal lined brief case sitting off near a dusty computer was a tranquilizer gun with three empty tranquilizer darts. Davis grinned, he couldn't believe his luck. He grabbed the three tranquilizer darts and went over to the container and pried the top of the container off, unscrewed the tip of the dart leaving just the plastic vial in his hand. Then he took a deep breath, the meteor rock may not kill him like it will Clark, but he remembered how painful it was the last time he came into contact with the liquid stuff. With a deep breath he prepared himself for the onslaught of pain he knew was coming, he plunged his hand and the tranquilizer dart into the green liquid. He cried out in pain but managed to leave his hand and the vial in the liquid long enough to fill it up. He screwed the tip of the dart back on sealing the green liquid inside. He knew that he should repeat the process again with the other darts but the pain in his hand from the liquid was agonizing. He shook the excess liquid from his hand and wiped his burning hand on one of the sheets, replaced the lid to the container and made his way back to the alley…one dart was going to have to be enough to incapacity Clark.

Davis quickly made his way back to the building that housed Chloe. He just had to bide his time.

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Davis pulled the hood of his sweat shirt down lower over his face and stepped deeper into the alley. The sun had risen a little while ago making his lurking in the alley more noticeable to the passing traffic. He needed to remain anonymous. He needed to remain hidden until it was time to put his plan into motion. He watched as the limo pulled up in front of the building and a few minutes later Oliver Queen, the dark skinned man, and another man that he had never met before excited the building and got into the limo. He watched them drive away and then looked up at the building. That left the boy and Chloe alone in the clock. Davis debated with himself on going into the building at that moment and just taking Chloe, but he realized that to snatch her during daylight was not the smartest of plans. He shook his head no, and decided to stick to the plan that he had concocted the night before. What good would it do him if he snatched her now and then Clark came and took her away? No, he needed to immobilize Clark and the others before Chloe could truly be his once again. So, he waited. He didn't move from his spot in the alley until darkness once again began to descend upon the city. The moment that night covered him; he slipped from the alley and made his way Lakeshire and Main. That was where his plan was to begin.

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Davis looked at Clark wondering why they had stopped in a lot just outside of Metropolis…not that he was question his good fortune, because then it wouldn't take him as long to get back to Chloe as he thought it was going to.

"What, Clark?" Davis yelled at Clark. "Why'd you stop? Did you realize that you didn't have it in you to kill me? And you call yourself her best friend."

"Davis," Clark started as much as he wanted to hurt this man before him, that was not what Chloe wanted. She wanted Davis to be brought to justice and that is what she was going to get. "I am doing this for Chloe, not for you. If I could have my way I would destroy you for what you've done to her." Clark took a step towards Davis. Davis smiled. He wanted Clark angry. Anger was distracting. Anger clouded ones mind.

"What I've done to her?" Davis yelled at Clark, "I've made her mine. She's mine, Clark. Not yours. Not that guy Queen's. SHE'S MINE! We are destined to be together, if not in this life then in our deaths. We are going to be together, Clark and there is nothing…NOTHING…you can do to stop it from happening." Davis laughed manically. Clark realized that the man standing before him was mad. He was beyond mad, he was insane.

"You are insane. Utterly and completely insane, and you are not getting anywhere near Chloe. I'm trying to help you, Davis, listen to me. If you can still think clearly, listen to me. I have away to separate the beast from you. I can free you. But you will still have to serve your time for the crimes that you have committed."

Davis cackled and his eyes began to get redder and redder, "I'm insane? I'm insane? NO YOU ARE INSANE IF YOU THINK YOU CAN SEPARATE THIS BEAST FROM ME!!!!" He screamed at Clark inching closer to his target, "This beast is part of me, it's who I am, Clark. God! I don't want it, but I won't let you get my hopes up, not again. I am the beast and the beast is me." Davis cast his eyes down making himself look weak and lost. He played on Clark's sympathies, drawing Clark closer to him. He knew that Clark was soft hearted and quick to forgive, qualities that were easily manipulated if you knew of them.

"Davis," Clark said softly putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, a move that was the mistake that Davis was waiting for. Davis gripped Clark's hand and spun him around so that Clark's arm was yanked up behind his back. Clark was taken completely by surprise and was unable to react quickly enough.

"Sorry, Clark," Davis said, "I really don't have anything against you other than you are keeping me from Chloe. I just couldn't risk you getting in the way of getting her to come with me tonight. I need her, Clark. She is my soul mate. She is the ONLY one who can control this thing inside me. The darkness doesn't come out when Chloe is around. There is something about her that makes me human." Clark felt the sting of the kryptonite dart in the middle of his back where he couldn't reach it. Davis released him and Clark turned back around to stare in utter shock at Davis. His legs went out from beneath him as the kryptonite drew his strength from him. He rolled over onto his side hoping that it would lessen the pain of the kryptonite. Davis walked over to Clark and kneeled down.

"Don't worry, Clark, it won't kill you. There's only enough meteor rock inside the dart to incapacitate you long enough for me to grab Chloe and be gone far enough away that you could never find us. It will just get you out of the way so that I can do what needs to be done. I am sorry about the pain that it is causing you; really I don't have anything against you other than the fact that you are trying to stand between Chloe and me. I hope someday, when I have this beast inside of me under control that you and I could get to know one another better. We are, after all, the last of the survivors of our world. Brothers as you said."

"Don't do this. Davis, don't do this. She doesn't belong to you. Please Davis, you are delusional, you need help. I can help you. I can get you help. Together we can rid you of this beast inside of you. But I can't do anything like this and Chloe doesn't want to be with you. Davis, listen to me, she doesn't want to be with you." Clark said to Davis as he walked away from him, leaving him writhing in pain.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Davis said over his shoulder as he continued to walk away from Clark, "Chloe and I are meant to be. You are just jealous, why else would she be the only one who can tame this beast?"

"She can't anymore, can she?" Clark said through gritted teeth. The pain was almost unbearable but the thought of Davis having Chloe again gave him strength to withstand it. "I know what happened the other night. I know what you did to her. I will NOT let you do that to her again." Clark's words stopped Davis and he turned around to look at Clark who didn't have the strength to even stand up on his own two feet.

"And what are you going to do about it, Clark? How are you going to stop me? You can't even stand, let alone fight me and that's what it will take for me to not go to her…to get her. She's mine Clark. It's destiny. She was always meant for me…" Davis crouched back down to look into Clark's face. He grabbed Clark by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him up to meet his eyes. Red and Blue clashed in defiance. "Me…she was ALWAYS meant for me. You stole my life, my childhood…you even had a chance to steal Chloe from me. I will not give you this second chance. She's mine and I am going to take what is mine. Don't try to stop me, Clark. Really this is the only warning you are going to get from me. I was sent here to destroy you, but I really don't want to cause you any harm, but I will if you get in my way again. You had your chance with her…I will not give her up again." He tossed Clark back to the ground. Clark groaned as the dart was forced deeper into his back when he landed on it. He rolled onto his side and watched Davis calmly walk away heading back to Metropolis. He weakly dug his hand into the pocket of his jeans looking for his cell phone, he needed to call someone. He hit the send button and dialed the last number he called. He passed out before he heard anyone answer.

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Lois debated with herself for all of a second before she answered her cell phone. Clark's name popped up on the caller id.

"Smallville, you had better be calling me to apologize for the ginormous ass that you were being earlier." She said into the receiver and then waited for his snarky response. When she didn't get one she got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Smallville? Smallville, if this is some sort of practical joke, you are sooo not funny. Damn it, Clark, answer me." All she got in response was silence and then a very faint groan. "CLARK!" She yelled into her phone. "CLARK, WHERE ARE YOU!" She headed back to his desk at the Daily Planet her cell phone practically glued to her ear. She was glad that she hadn't left the building when she stormed away from him earlier. She quickly looked around the bull pen and realized that he was no where in the room. "Clark, where are you?" She asked mostly to herself, if she focused her hearing through the phone she could barely make out his ragged breathing, at least she hoped it was his breathing and not a figment of her imagination. She sat down at her desk and picked up her land line phone. As quickly as she could she dialed a friend's number never taking her cell phone from her ear.

"Josh, it's Lois. I have an emergency. I need your help."

"Sure, Lo as long as you forget the fifty bucks I owe you."

"I call you for help and you…never mind, done."

"Good. What can I do to help my favorite reporter?"

"I need a number traced. It's a cell number. My friend's in trouble and I have to find him."

"K Lo, give me the number." She quickly told him the number and waited very impatiently for him to give her Clark's location.

"Edge City? Are you sure? He was just here like fifteen minutes ago. Edge City is easily forty-five minutes away."

"That is where the number is calling from, Lo. I do, do this for a living, ya know." Josh said sarcastically.

"I know, thanks." And she hung up not giving him a chance to reply. She grabbed up her purse and her keys and headed for the elevator. "Hang on, Clark. I'm coming. I'm coming." She said into her phone, not even knowing if Clark could hear her or not.

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"Kal-El." Clark could hear someone calling to him. "Kal-El, regain consciousness." The voice ordered him. "Kal-El, you can not let Doomsday win. The survival of the Earth depends upon it. KAL-EL, YOU WILL OPEN YOUR EYES!"

"Jor-El?" Clark answered briefly without opening his eyes. The pain of the meteor rock was crippling.

"Yes, my son. You need to stay conscious. Doomsday must never be unleashed upon the Earth."

"I know how to stop him, Jor-El. But the fortress…I need the fortress." Clark said weakly.

"Then you shall have it. On one condition."

"What condition?" Clark said in disbelief.

"You must begin your training, my son. I have allowed you to waist too much time, dallying with your human counterparts. It is time. I must have your word, that you will begin your training once you have defeated Doomsday."

"Jor-El, please…"

"NO! I will have your word or I will disable the fortress permanently."

"You would destroy the Earth unless I agree to your terms."

"It seems to be the only way to get you to fulfill your destiny, my son."

"You have my word." Clark said weakly and then he opened his eyes fully expecting to see Jor-El standing before him as he had done in the past. Clark was surprised to see nothing but the stars twinkling merrily in the sky at him; was the meteor rock starting to affect his brain, he wondered to himself.

He weakly turned his head to where his cell phone had fallen out of his grasp. He could hear someone screaming to him from it, but he couldn't make out the voice. It was too garbled. He just closed his eyes once again and let blissful darkness calm the pain.

"CLARK!" Lois yelled through the phone as she drove like a maniac through the streets of down town Metropolis. She could hear him talking to someone…arguing with someone. "CLARK!!! HANG ON I'M COMING! I'M COMING!" She yelled urgently into the phone, hoping that he could hear her because once again everything went silent on his side of the phone.

When Lois reached the location that Josh had given to her she jumped out of her car barely putting it into park before her door was opened. She left the door open and the car running as she ran into the vacant lot. She scanned the area quickly but didn't see Clark anywhere. All she saw was an abandoned car, a dumpster, a broken TV set, chain link fence that separated a field from the vacant lot. She still held her cell phone to her ear as she looked around frantically for Clark.

"CLARK!" She yelled as she walked over to the abandoned car. As she neared the car she heard a groan of pain. She walked around the car and finally found Clark dressed in his red jacket, blue shirt, and jeans unconscious on the ground with a glowing green dark sticking out of his back.

"Clark!" She yelled and dropped her cell phone and ran to him. Quickly she kneeled on the ground and pressed two fingers to his neck feeling for a pulse. She heaved a sigh of relief when she found it beating strongly. She scanned him for any life threatening injures and only noticed that he had a large gash on his cheek that she idly thought could need stitches. Other than the gash on his cheek he seemed to be fine except for the tranquilizer dart sticking out of his back. She gently caressed his face; the panic she had felt for the last forty-five minutes began to ebb now that she could see him. Her heart beat began to slow as she wiped the dirt from his uninjured cheek and forehead.

"Lois," Clark whispered to her, knowing it was she before he even opened his eyes, "the dart." He said breathlessly and in obvious pain. Lois looked at the dart then back to him trying to decide if she should remove it. Hearing Clark groan in pain once again she made her decision. Tentatively she took hold of the little green glowing dart and pulled it from Clark's back. Once she removed the dart, Clark rolled on his side away from it. The pain immediately began to subside. Lois brought the dart closer to her face so that she could get a better look at it. She wondered what was in the dart that had caused Clark to be in such pain that he had lost unconsciousness.

"Whoa, check this out, Smallville, I think this is liquid meteor rock. See the greenish glow." She said to Clark as he rolled back over to face her and pushed the dart into his face so that he could look at it. Clark reacted instinctively and quickly moved away from the dart as though it had been a poisonous snake. Lois also realized that the dart caused him pain so she backed away putting the dart behind her back. As she got the dart far enough away, Lois watched fascinated as Clark's gash on his cheek miraculously heal instantly and his strength seemed to return to him immediately when there was enough distance between him and the dart. He stood up slowly and faced Lois. Clark knew that he was going to have to tell her the truth right now. There was no more hiding it from her after this. There just was no denial that could explain what had just happened. Lois narrowed her eyes at a completely healed Clark. She quickly scanned what Clark was wearing and Clark watched via her eyes as the pieces fell into place.

"Your cut…it's gone." Lois said to him and closed her eyes as the evidence that she was looking for to prove that Clark was more than he pretended to be was right in front of her.

"Lois…" Clark took a couple of steps towards her.

"NO!" She yelled at him. She held up the dart and used it as she spoke to Clark; he took a step back from her away from the dart. "No, I'm not buying it this time, Smallville. The disappearing acts, the half-baked excuses... all this time, I just coughed it up to a classic case of Peter Pan syndrome, but...you're the opposite. You're like...I mean, it's like you're some kind of…of…super guy. A super man."

"Lois, I can explain, if you'd just let me. Please, I can. I just hope you believe me."

"Okay, well, try me. My shock threshold is pretty high right now." She looked him square in the eyes. She was angry, shocked, thrilled, excited, but mostly she was hurt that he hadn't trusted her sooner with his secret.

"Lois, well…ahhh…I'm just going to come right out and say this. I am the Red Blue Blur. I'm sorry that I lied to you, but you have to understand I wasn't lying to you because I wanted to. It was just that I have to keep this a secret. I know I can trust you. I do, I have wanted to tell you for so long now. Chloe has told me countless times to tell you. I just don't want to put you in even more danger than you get yourself into. The more you know about me the more danger you will be in. Please understand."

"I knew it! I just knew it! Especially tonight after that phone call. When I was listening to him…to you speak, I just kept picturing you in my mind. And the letter…that was a dead give away. So, Chloe knows, huh. I guess that doesn't surprise me, who else knows? Start at the beginning, Smallville. What guns do you got in your arsenal?"

Clark took a step closer to her and smiled at her. He was glad that she wasn't as upset with him as he thought that she would be. Maybe Chloe was right and Lois could have handled knowing sooner. Maybe if he had told Lois sooner things would have been different. "Guess I might as well just throw it all out there. Not too many people know about me. My mom and dad of course, Chloe and Lana, my friend Pete Ross, Oliver and some friends that need to remain nameless for the time being. As for my abilities, I can blast fire out of my eyes."

"Okay." Lois said tentatively as her eyes widened a bit and Clark took another step closer.

"I can hear a dog barking from 10 miles away. I can see through solid objects, and I can run faster than the speed of sound. I can bend steel into anything I want to and I can lift trucks like they were toys…" He took another step towards her.

"Wait. Rewind." She laughed nervously as she pulled her jacket closed over her chest. "Expand on your whole...'see through things' thing."

"No, Lo, I..." He shook his head denying what she was implying. She just put up her hand to stop the flow of words before they started from him. She needed to think, to process everything that he was telling her.

"Look, I have to focus. How did I not put these pieces together? I mean, I-I lived with you, and now we practically work on top of each other. I mean, have I been high this entire time?" She looked up at him.

"The important thing is that you know now." He said softly. She nodded her head in agreement. He could tell that she was still trying to process everything that she had just found out about him, but unfortunately he didn't have the time to be standing here talking to her. He needed to get back to Oliver's apartment and protect Chloe.

"Lois, I need your help. Do you still have the keys to the building that Chloe bought before the wedding?"

"Yeah, of course I do, now that the divorce is final she's going to need that place to live at. The new tenants are due to move into the apartment in Smallville next week. She was supposed to be working on the building to make the place habitable. But that was before Beasty boy took her."

"I am going to get Chloe and Davis to you at that building. I need you to keep them there. Whatever happens to me, you need to make sure that Davis and Chloe are safe."

"DAVIS! Clark, are you insane? He's the one who kidnapped her. He's the one that we are trying to keep her hidden from and you want me to bring them BOTH back to her new place. No way. Davis is going to go to jail. That's where he's going to go."

"I just can't explain everything to you right now but I promise that once this is all over and if I survive, I will tell you everything, no more secrets. But I need to know; do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," she said without hesitation, "though I don't know why I should since you've been lying to me from the very first moment we meet. But yes, I do trust you and most importantly I trust you with my cousin's life. Bring her home, Clark, and I will keep both Davis and Chloe at her building until you arrive."

"Thanks, Lois." He smiled at her, kissed her cheek, and then sped away leaving Lois amazed.

"Anytime, Smallville." She smiled and got into her car and sped back to Metropolis to the building that Chloe was going to call home.

TBC…

A/N: Constructive feedback always appreciated. :)


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